Earthquakes in 1943
The USGS located 161 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1943, 113 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 241 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M8.1 45 km NNW of Illapel, Chile, Apr 6, 1943.
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 1943 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1943, by magnitude.
- 8.145 km NNW of Illapel, Chile · 35 km deepChile
- 7.877 km E of Baculin, Philippines · 15 km deepPhilippines
- 7.726 km S of Sijunjung, Indonesia · 10 km deepIndonesia
- 7.745 km N of San Antonio, Puerto Rico · 15 km deepPuerto Rico
- 7.7147 km E of Tual, Indonesia · 15 km deepIndonesia
- 7.5Macquarie Island region · 10 km deep
- 7.56 km SSE of Ilgaz, Turkey · 20 km deepTurkey
- 7.487 km SSW of Srandakan, Indonesia · 60 km deepIndonesia
- 7.418 km SSW of Palos Blancos, Mexico · 20 km deepMexico
- 7.478 km NNW of Curup, Indonesia · 15 km deepIndonesia
- 7.418 km ENE of Bagacay, Philippines · 15 km deepPhilippines
- 7.3169 km ENE of Hachinohe, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 7.213 km W of Dergaon, India · 15 km deepIndia
- 7.2205 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea · 35 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 7.196 km ESE of Takahagi, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 7.0Kermadec Islands, New Zealand · 35 km deepNew Zealand
- 7.018 km ENE of Kurayoshi, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 7.030 km WNW of Labuan, Indonesia · 35 km deepIndonesia
- 7.056 km SSE of Cambutal, Panama · 20 km deepPanama
- 7.0South Sandwich Islands region · 20 km deepSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- 6.9298 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia · 15 km deepNew Caledonia
- 6.927 km SE of Skwentna, Alaska · 15 km deepAlaska
- 6.9south of the Kermadec Islands · 15 km deep
- 6.931 km S of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea · 35 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 6.8South Sandwich Islands region · 60 km deepSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1943 | 22 | 6.5 | 167 km WSW of Adak, Alaska |
| February 1943 | 35 | 7.4 | 18 km SSW of Palos Blancos, Mexico |
| March 1943 | 43 | 7.0 | South Sandwich Islands region |
| April 1943 | 36 | 8.1 | 45 km NNW of Illapel, Chile |
| May 1943 | 25 | 7.8 | 77 km E of Baculin, Philippines |
| June 1943 | 27 | 7.7 | 26 km S of Sijunjung, Indonesia |
| July 1943 | 30 | 7.7 | 45 km N of San Antonio, Puerto Rico |
| August 1943 | 25 | 6.7 | 62 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand |
| September 1943 | 32 | 7.5 | Macquarie Island region |
| October 1943 | 34 | 7.2 | 13 km W of Dergaon, India |
| November 1943 | 51 | 7.7 | 147 km E of Tual, Indonesia |
| December 1943 | 30 | 7.2 | 205 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea |
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.
- Japan18 in 1943
- Indonesia10 in 1943
- Russia9 in 1943
- Greece8 in 1943
- Philippines8 in 1943
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands8 in 1943
- Chile7 in 1943
- New Zealand6 in 1943
- Papua New Guinea6 in 1943
- Mexico5 in 1943
- Turkey5 in 1943
- Pakistan4 in 1943
- Taiwan4 in 1943
- New Caledonia3 in 1943
- Peru3 in 1943
- Venezuela3 in 1943
- Italy2 in 1943
- Kyrgyzstan2 in 1943
- Myanmar2 in 1943
- Panama2 in 1943
- Tonga2 in 1943
- Vanuatu2 in 1943
- Algeria1 in 1943
- Argentina1 in 1943
- Bhutan1 in 1943
- China1 in 1943
- Costa Rica1 in 1943
- Croatia1 in 1943
- Ecuador1 in 1943
- Fiji1 in 1943
- Germany1 in 1943
- India1 in 1943
- Madagascar1 in 1943
- Micronesia1 in 1943
- Portugal1 in 1943
- Saint Helena1 in 1943
- Solomon Islands1 in 1943
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen1 in 1943
- Uzbekistan1 in 1943
- Wallis and Futuna1 in 1943
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.