Earthquakes in 1937
The USGS located 245 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1937, 98 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 268 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M7.8 Southern Qinghai, China, Jan 7, 1937.
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 1937 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1937, by magnitude.
- 7.8Southern Qinghai, China · 15 km deepChina
- 7.66 km E of Tignoan, Philippines · 15 km deepPhilippines
- 7.4170 km ESE of Kuril’sk, Russia · 30 km deepRussia
- 7.43 km W of Huixtepec, Mexico · 25 km deepMexico
- 7.3227 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga · 330 km deepTonga
- 7.276 km E of Kirakira, Solomon Islands · 15 km deepSolomon Islands
- 7.1Central Alaska · 10 km deepAlaska
- 7.155 km SW of Santiago de Cao, Peru · 30 km deepPeru
- 7.1205 km NNE of Gili Air, Indonesia · 610 km deepIndonesia
- 7.024 km W of Heze, China · 25 km deepChina
- 7.062 km NW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands · 35 km deepSolomon Islands
- 6.9160 km WSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea · 35 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 6.986 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan · 15 km deepTaiwan
- 6.992 km S of Pundong, Indonesia · 55 km deepIndonesia
- 6.866 km W of Manokwari, Indonesia · 15 km deepIndonesia
- 6.8148 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea · 35 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 6.728 km W of Heze, China · 25 km deepChina
- 6.768 km SSE of King Cove, Alaska · 35 km deepAlaska
- 6.798 km ENE of Donggang, Taiwan · 15 km deepTaiwan
- 6.642 km E of Onagawa Ch?, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 6.6212 km W of Lata, Solomon Islands · 15 km deepSolomon Islands
- 6.695 km E of Yujing, Taiwan · 15 km deepTaiwan
- 6.6south of the Kermadec Islands · 45 km deep
- 6.658 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu · 35 km deepVanuatu
- 6.5114 km ESE of Nichinan, Japan · 20 km deepJapan
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1937 | 31 | 7.8 | Southern Qinghai, China |
| February 1937 | 42 | 7.4 | 170 km ESE of Kuril’sk, Russia |
| March 1937 | 76 | 6.5 | 65 km NNW of Taltal, Chile |
| April 1937 | 36 | 7.3 | 227 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga |
| May 1937 | 29 | 6.5 | Kuril Islands |
| June 1937 | 31 | 7.1 | 55 km SW of Santiago de Cao, Peru |
| July 1937 | 31 | 7.1 | Central Alaska |
| August 1937 | 52 | 7.6 | 6 km E of Tignoan, Philippines |
| September 1937 | 43 | 7.0 | 62 km NW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands |
| October 1937 | 27 | 6.4 | 103 km E of La Playa, Mexico |
| November 1937 | 44 | 6.4 | 31 km E of Turmi, Ethiopia |
| December 1937 | 43 | 7.4 | 3 km W of Huixtepec, Mexico |
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.
- Japan27 in 1937
- Indonesia21 in 1937
- Russia20 in 1937
- Papua New Guinea11 in 1937
- Philippines10 in 1937
- China9 in 1937
- Mexico9 in 1937
- Taiwan9 in 1937
- India6 in 1937
- Solomon Islands5 in 1937
- Chile4 in 1937
- Costa Rica4 in 1937
- Guatemala4 in 1937
- Tajikistan4 in 1937
- Tonga4 in 1937
- Turkey4 in 1937
- Colombia3 in 1937
- Greece3 in 1937
- Iran3 in 1937
- Vanuatu3 in 1937
- Italy2 in 1937
- Kyrgyzstan2 in 1937
- Nepal2 in 1937
- New Zealand2 in 1937
- Peru2 in 1937
- Timor Leste2 in 1937
- Algeria1 in 1937
- Armenia1 in 1937
- Canada1 in 1937
- Croatia1 in 1937
- Cyprus1 in 1937
- Ethiopia1 in 1937
- Fiji1 in 1937
- Greenland1 in 1937
- Kazakhstan1 in 1937
- Laos1 in 1937
- Myanmar1 in 1937
- Norway1 in 1937
- Pakistan1 in 1937
- Portugal1 in 1937
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands1 in 1937
- Uzbekistan1 in 1937
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.