Earthquakes in 1920
The USGS located 101 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1920, 69 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 10 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M8.2 1920 Hualien, Taiwan Earthquake, Jun 5, 1920.
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 1920 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1920, by magnitude.
- 8.21920 Hualien, Taiwan Earthquake · 20 km deepTaiwan
- 8.11920 Vanuatu Earthquake · 25 km deepVanuatu
- 7.9125 km E of Baiyin, China · 15 km deepChina
- 7.874 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea · 35 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 7.350 km SSW of Carahue, Chile · 25 km deepChile
- 7.1147 km E of Kuril’sk, Russia · 60 km deepRussia
- 7.032 km NW of Fiambalá, Argentina · 15 km deepArgentina
- 7.0139 km ENE of Baiyin, China · 15 km deepChina
- 7.0Bouvet Island region · 10 km deep
- 7.0147 km SSW of Gizo, Solomon Islands · 15 km deepSolomon Islands
- 7.0188 km SSE of Amahai, Indonesia · 15 km deepIndonesia
- 7.042 km ESE of Wewak, Papua New Guinea · 25 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 7.0southern East Pacific Rise · 10 km deep
- 7.019 km SW of Angol, Chile · 15 km deepChile
- 6.955 km SE of Yilan, Taiwan · 15 km deepTaiwan
- 6.946 km SE of Tarragona, Philippines · 35 km deepPhilippines
- 6.8195 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu · 80 km deepVanuatu
- 6.726 km S of Nueve de Julio, Argentina · 15 km deepArgentina
- 6.7south of the Fiji Islands · 35 km deepFiji
- 6.7168 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands · 35 km deepSolomon Islands
- 6.6152 km WNW of Tocopilla, Chile · 15 km deepChile
- 6.5266 km S of Nadi, Fiji · 15 km deepFiji
- 6.512 km WNW of Cotaruse, Peru · 15 km deepPeru
- 6.557 km NNE of Salvación, Peru · 15 km deepPeru
- 6.5Fiji region · 15 km deepFiji
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1920 | 8 | 6.3 | 47 km NNE of Timbiquí, Colombia |
| February 1920 | 9 | 7.8 | 74 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea |
| March 1920 | 6 | 7.0 | southern East Pacific Rise |
| April 1920 | 4 | 6.4 | 7 km W of San Felipe Tejalápam, Mexico |
| May 1920 | 11 | 7.0 | 147 km SSW of Gizo, Solomon Islands |
| June 1920 | 3 | 8.2 | 1920 Hualien, Taiwan Earthquake |
| July 1920 | 9 | 6.4 | 168 km SE of Amahai, Indonesia |
| August 1920 | 9 | 7.0 | 32 km NW of Fiambalá, Argentina |
| September 1920 | 13 | 8.1 | 1920 Vanuatu Earthquake |
| October 1920 | 12 | 7.1 | 147 km E of Kuril’sk, Russia |
| November 1920 | 5 | 6.4 | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge |
| December 1920 | 12 | 7.9 | 125 km E of Baiyin, China |
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.
- Greece8 in 1920
- Mexico6 in 1920
- China5 in 1920
- Indonesia5 in 1920
- Japan5 in 1920
- Papua New Guinea5 in 1920
- Chile3 in 1920
- Fiji3 in 1920
- Italy3 in 1920
- Philippines3 in 1920
- Solomon Islands3 in 1920
- Vanuatu3 in 1920
- Argentina2 in 1920
- Peru2 in 1920
- Russia2 in 1920
- Taiwan2 in 1920
- Turkey2 in 1920
- Albania1 in 1920
- Australia1 in 1920
- Azerbaijan1 in 1920
- Bolivia1 in 1920
- Canada1 in 1920
- Colombia1 in 1920
- Georgia1 in 1920
- Iceland1 in 1920
- Mongolia1 in 1920
- North Macedonia1 in 1920
- Pakistan1 in 1920
- Panama1 in 1920
- Saint Helena1 in 1920
- South Africa1 in 1920
- Tonga1 in 1920
- Tunisia1 in 1920
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.