Earthquakes in 1914
The USGS located 74 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1914, 54 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 16 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M8.2 1914 Biak Earthquake, May 26, 1914.
From the USGS catalog. Magnitude 4.5 and up worldwide, and 2.5 and up in the United States. Times are local to each quake.
Map
Where the largest earthquakes of 1914 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1914, by magnitude.
- 8.21914 Biak Earthquake · 15 km deepIndonesia
- 7.9Volcano Islands, Japan region · 200 km deepJapan
- 7.7103 km NW of Constitución, Chile · 15 km deepChile
- 7.573 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia · 35 km deepIndonesia
- 7.5273 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia · 35 km deepIndonesia
- 7.4160 km WNW of Hami, China · 15 km deepChina
- 7.3128 km SE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands · 15 km deepSolomon Islands
- 7.2127 km SW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico · 15 km deepMexico
- 7.212 km NNE of Cono Norte, Peru · 100 km deepPeru
- 7.1196 km SSE of Ambon, Indonesia · 200 km deepIndonesia
- 7.115 km WSW of Burdur, Turkey · 15 km deepTurkey
- 7.092 km E of Beauséjour, Guadeloupe · 15 km deepGuadeloupe
- 7.013 km ESE of Yokote, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 7.044 km N of Whakatane, New Zealand · 275 km deepNew Zealand
- 7.0194 km SE of Baubau, Indonesia · 625 km deepIndonesia
- 7.0152 km NW of Uken, Japan · 235 km deepJapan
- 7.045 km E of Lata, Solomon Islands · 15 km deepSolomon Islands
- 6.8100 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga · 35 km deepTonga
- 6.88 km NNE of Kajiki, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 6.854 km SSE of Vilyuchinsk, Russia · 35 km deepRussia
- 6.786 km SE of Koshima, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 6.7214 km SW of Sibolga, Indonesia · 35 km deepIndonesia
- 6.748 km ENE of Opotiki, New Zealand · 15 km deepNew Zealand
- 6.698 km SSW of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia · 35 km deepRussia
- 6.6202 km S of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia · 15 km deepRussia
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1914 | 6 | 7.7 | 103 km NW of Constitución, Chile |
| February 1914 | 7 | 7.2 | 12 km NNE of Cono Norte, Peru |
| March 1914 | 9 | 7.2 | 127 km SW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico |
| April 1914 | 5 | 7.3 | 128 km SE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands |
| May 1914 | 9 | 8.2 | 1914 Biak Earthquake |
| June 1914 | 4 | 7.5 | 73 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia |
| July 1914 | 8 | 7.1 | 196 km SSE of Ambon, Indonesia |
| August 1914 | 5 | 7.4 | 160 km WNW of Hami, China |
| September 1914 | 3 | 6.2 | 20 km WNW of Las Lomas, Peru |
| October 1914 | 13 | 7.5 | 273 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia |
| November 1914 | 7 | 7.9 | Volcano Islands, Japan region |
| December 1914 | 5 | 6.8 | 100 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga |
By state
Where the year’s United States quakes of magnitude 2.5 and up were located. A state with none that year is not listed.
By country
Where the year’s quakes of magnitude 4.5 and up were located. Quakes at sea, away from any country, are not counted here.
- Indonesia8 in 1914
- Russia7 in 1914
- Japan6 in 1914
- Turkey4 in 1914
- Greece3 in 1914
- India3 in 1914
- Italy3 in 1914
- New Zealand3 in 1914
- Pakistan3 in 1914
- Canada2 in 1914
- Chile2 in 1914
- Mexico2 in 1914
- Peru2 in 1914
- Solomon Islands2 in 1914
- Angola1 in 1914
- China1 in 1914
- Colombia1 in 1914
- Dominican Republic1 in 1914
- Ecuador1 in 1914
- Guadeloupe1 in 1914
- Iceland1 in 1914
- Jamaica1 in 1914
- Panama1 in 1914
- Papua New Guinea1 in 1914
- Saint Helena1 in 1914
- Taiwan1 in 1914
- Tajikistan1 in 1914
- Tonga1 in 1914
- Vanuatu1 in 1914
What this means
The catalog is only as complete as the instruments of the time. Worldwide coverage of magnitude 5 and up dates from the 1960s, and of 4.5 from the 1990s; earlier years hold the large quakes and the ones near a station, so a low count in an early year means fewer instruments, not a quiet earth.
By year
Every year the USGS catalog covers.
- 2020s2020202120222023202420252026
- 2010s2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
- 2000s2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
- 1990s1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
- 1980s1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
- 1970s1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
- 1960s1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
- 1950s1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
- 1940s1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
- 1930s1930193119321933193419351936193719381939
- 1920s1920192119221923192419251926192719281929
- 1910s1910191119121913191419151916191719181919
- 1900s1900190119021903190419051906190719081909
Sources
Earthquakes, magnitudes, depths, shaking estimates and felt reports from the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, read from its live feeds and its catalog back to 1900. Tsunami messages from NOAA’s tsunami warning centers.