Earthquakes in 1927
The USGS located 310 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1927, 111 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 29 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M7.7 31 km SSW of Wuwei, China, May 23, 1927.
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 1927 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1927, by magnitude.
- 7.731 km SSW of Wuwei, China · 15 km deepChina
- 7.5273 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia · 35 km deepIndonesia
- 7.231 km SSW of Pelican, Alaska · 10 km deepAlaska
- 7.283 km SSE of Atlasovo, Russia · 15 km deepRussia
- 7.184 km SW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu · 30 km deepVanuatu
- 7.061 km ENE of Sorong, Indonesia · 15 km deepIndonesia
- 7.012 km S of Puerto Cisnes, Chile · 15 km deepChile
- 7.0Kuril Islands · 15 km deep
- 7.0199 km SSW of Katabu, Indonesia · 15 km deepIndonesia
- 7.0125 km ESE of Katsuura, Japan · 20 km deepJapan
- 7.0114 km E of Namie, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 7.015 km E of Toyooka, Japan · 10 km deepJapan
- 7.019 km W of Sigaboy, Philippines · 35 km deepPhilippines
- 6.9178 km S of Tiksi, Russia · 15 km deepRussia
- 6.9The 1927 Lompoc, California Earthquake · 10 km deepCalifornia
- 6.725 km SE of Monte Patria, Chile · 50 km deepChile
- 6.720 km SSE of Partenit, Ukraine · 15 km deepUkraine
- 6.7260 km SSW of Arenas, Panama · 10 km deepPanama
- 6.7152 km S of Tiksi, Russia · 15 km deepRussia
- 6.751 km SW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea · 35 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 6.689 km E of Dazhong, China · 20 km deepChina
- 6.697 km SSE of Burica, Panama · 15 km deepPanama
- 6.6northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge · 10 km deep
- 6.5Kuril Islands · 15 km deep
- 6.5171 km SE of Hasaki, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1927 | 19 | 7.1 | 84 km SW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu |
| February 1927 | 24 | 7.0 | Kuril Islands |
| March 1927 | 30 | 7.0 | 199 km SSW of Katabu, Indonesia |
| April 1927 | 12 | 6.5 | 144 km SW of Adak, Alaska |
| May 1927 | 34 | 7.7 | 31 km SSW of Wuwei, China |
| June 1927 | 25 | 7.5 | 273 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia |
| July 1927 | 31 | 6.4 | 132 km SSE of Semnan, Iran |
| August 1927 | 38 | 7.0 | 61 km ENE of Sorong, Indonesia |
| September 1927 | 29 | 6.7 | 20 km SSE of Partenit, Ukraine |
| October 1927 | 27 | 7.2 | 31 km SSW of Pelican, Alaska |
| November 1927 | 29 | 7.0 | 12 km S of Puerto Cisnes, Chile |
| December 1927 | 12 | 7.2 | 83 km SSE of Atlasovo, Russia |
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.
- Japan46 in 1927
- China19 in 1927
- Indonesia18 in 1927
- Philippines17 in 1927
- Russia12 in 1927
- Ukraine12 in 1927
- Iran10 in 1927
- Vanuatu10 in 1927
- Papua New Guinea8 in 1927
- Taiwan6 in 1927
- Chile5 in 1927
- Greece5 in 1927
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen5 in 1927
- India4 in 1927
- Mexico4 in 1927
- Panama4 in 1927
- Ecuador3 in 1927
- Greenland3 in 1927
- Peru3 in 1927
- Australia2 in 1927
- Austria2 in 1927
- Fiji2 in 1927
- Italy2 in 1927
- Kyrgyzstan2 in 1927
- Pakistan2 in 1927
- Serbia2 in 1927
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands2 in 1927
- Tonga2 in 1927
- Turkey2 in 1927
- Uzbekistan2 in 1927
- Albania1 in 1927
- Bolivia1 in 1927
- Bosnia and Herzegovina1 in 1927
- Georgia1 in 1927
- Guatemala1 in 1927
- Honduras1 in 1927
- Iceland1 in 1927
- Jordan1 in 1927
- Mauritius1 in 1927
- Morocco1 in 1927
- Myanmar1 in 1927
- Nepal1 in 1927
- New Zealand1 in 1927
- Norway1 in 1927
- Portugal1 in 1927
- Samoa1 in 1927
- Spain1 in 1927
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.