Earthquakes in 1916
The USGS located 88 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1916, 57 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 29 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M8.0 60 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, Jan 1, 1916.
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 1916 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1916, by magnitude.
- 8.060 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea · 35 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 7.736 km NNE of Nabire, Indonesia · 25 km deepIndonesia
- 7.4152 km ESE of Koshima, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 7.4133 km WNW of Nikolski, Alaska · 140 km deepAlaska
- 7.4156 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia · 15 km deepRussia
- 7.3204 km WSW of Sámara, Costa Rica · 15 km deepCosta Rica
- 7.2South Indian Ocean · 10 km deep
- 7.16 km WNW of Siquirres, Costa Rica · 15 km deepCosta Rica
- 7.1217 km E of Levuka, Fiji · 600 km deepFiji
- 7.148 km NNW of Suncho Corral, Argentina · 600 km deepArgentina
- 7.0Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska · 15 km deepAlaska
- 7.0208 km SE of Katsuura, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 7.07 km N of Jesús Carranza, Mexico · 100 km deepMexico
- 7.018 km W of Doğanşar, Turkey · 15 km deepTurkey
- 7.027 km NE of Nabire, Indonesia · 25 km deepIndonesia
- 7.0157 km E of Hengchun, Taiwan · 15 km deepTaiwan
- 7.021 km SE of Dārchulā, Nepal · 20 km deepNepal
- 7.0109 km SSE of Ialibu, Papua New Guinea · 35 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 6.913 km SSW of San Juan, Peru · 70 km deepPeru
- 6.9181 km W of Iquique, Chile · 15 km deepChile
- 6.881 km WSW of Calama, Chile · 75 km deepChile
- 6.826 km SE of Boca de Yuma, Dominican Republic · 100 km deepDominican Republic
- 6.813 km N of Muisne, Ecuador · 15 km deepEcuador
- 6.711 km NE of Changuinola, Panama · 10 km deepPanama
- 6.769 km SSE of Bengkulu, Indonesia · 35 km deepIndonesia
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1916 | 7 | 8.0 | 60 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea |
| February 1916 | 13 | 7.4 | 152 km ESE of Koshima, Japan |
| March 1916 | 3 | 6.4 | 21 km SSW of Hirara, Japan |
| April 1916 | 9 | 7.4 | 133 km WNW of Nikolski, Alaska |
| May 1916 | 3 | 6.3 | North Indian Ocean |
| June 1916 | 5 | 7.1 | 48 km NNW of Suncho Corral, Argentina |
| July 1916 | 8 | 7.1 | 217 km E of Levuka, Fiji |
| August 1916 | 17 | 7.0 | 157 km E of Hengchun, Taiwan |
| September 1916 | 7 | 6.7 | 136 km SSE of Katsuura, Japan |
| October 1916 | 11 | 7.4 | 156 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia |
| November 1916 | 7 | 6.6 | 99 km SE of Crucecita, Mexico |
| December 1916 | 6 | 6.8 | 81 km WSW of Calama, Chile |
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.
- Japan10 in 1916
- Indonesia7 in 1916
- Italy7 in 1916
- Nepal3 in 1916
- Papua New Guinea3 in 1916
- Philippines3 in 1916
- Chile2 in 1916
- Costa Rica2 in 1916
- Croatia2 in 1916
- Dominican Republic2 in 1916
- Greece2 in 1916
- India2 in 1916
- Mexico2 in 1916
- Peru2 in 1916
- Taiwan2 in 1916
- Tonga2 in 1916
- Afghanistan1 in 1916
- Argentina1 in 1916
- Ecuador1 in 1916
- Fiji1 in 1916
- Kyrgyzstan1 in 1916
- Panama1 in 1916
- Romania1 in 1916
- Russia1 in 1916
- Turkey1 in 1916
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.