Earthquakes in 1955
The USGS located 253 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1955, 128 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 356 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M7.5 Kermadec Islands region, Feb 27, 1955.
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 1955 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1955, by magnitude.
- 7.5Kermadec Islands region · 15 km deep
- 7.4Mindanao, Philippines · 35 km deepPhilippines
- 7.3102 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea · 20 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 7.2Volcano Islands, Japan region · 559 km deepJapan
- 7.2154 km ESE of Mil’kovo, Russia · 59 km deepRussia
- 7.119 km WSW of Kangding, China · 10 km deepChina
- 7.0190 km WNW of Sabang, Indonesia · 25 km deepIndonesia
- 7.0South Indian Ocean · 20 km deep
- 7.0Auckland Islands, New Zealand region · 15 km deepNew Zealand
- 7.060 km WSW of Coquimbo, Chile · 15 km deepChile
- 6.9114 km WNW of Kashgar, China · 20 km deepChina
- 6.9132 km WNW of Kashgar, China · 20 km deepChina
- 6.9Bonin Islands, Japan region · 10 km deepJapan
- 6.881 km ENE of Nikolski, Alaska · 18 km deepAlaska
- 6.7226 km ENE of Nabire, Indonesia · 41 km deepIndonesia
- 6.748 km E of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia · 53 km deepRussia
- 6.731 km SSW of Puerto San José, Guatemala · 45 km deepGuatemala
- 6.711 km SE of Dadukou, China · 10 km deepChina
- 6.7255 km W of Haveluloto, Tonga · 360 km deepTonga
- 6.7221 km WSW of Adak, Alaska · 30 km deepAlaska
- 6.7227 km WSW of Adak, Alaska · 20 km deepAlaska
- 6.7Bonin Islands, Japan region · 487 km deepJapan
- 6.639 km SE of Lakatoro, Vanuatu · 15 km deepVanuatu
- 6.676 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan · 45 km deepTaiwan
- 6.69 km NW of Sar?kemer, Turkey · 15 km deepTurkey
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1955 | 46 | 7.0 | Auckland Islands, New Zealand region |
| February 1955 | 37 | 7.5 | Kermadec Islands region |
| March 1955 | 51 | 7.4 | Mindanao, Philippines |
| April 1955 | 47 | 7.1 | 19 km WSW of Kangding, China |
| May 1955 | 49 | 7.2 | Volcano Islands, Japan region |
| June 1955 | 56 | 6.7 | 221 km WSW of Adak, Alaska |
| July 1955 | 47 | 6.6 | 9 km NW of Sar?kemer, Turkey |
| August 1955 | 34 | 6.7 | 226 km ENE of Nabire, Indonesia |
| September 1955 | 42 | 6.7 | 11 km SE of Dadukou, China |
| October 1955 | 39 | 7.3 | 102 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea |
| November 1955 | 37 | 6.7 | 48 km E of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia |
| December 1955 | 69 | 6.9 | Bonin Islands, Japan region |
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.
- Japan23 in 1955
- China13 in 1955
- Russia13 in 1955
- Indonesia11 in 1955
- Mexico11 in 1955
- Philippines9 in 1955
- Greece8 in 1955
- Vanuatu8 in 1955
- Taiwan7 in 1955
- Chile5 in 1955
- Papua New Guinea5 in 1955
- Tonga5 in 1955
- Ecuador3 in 1955
- Guatemala3 in 1955
- Nicaragua3 in 1955
- Pakistan3 in 1955
- Solomon Islands3 in 1955
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen3 in 1955
- Turkey3 in 1955
- Algeria2 in 1955
- Egypt2 in 1955
- India2 in 1955
- Mauritius2 in 1955
- Myanmar2 in 1955
- Tajikistan2 in 1955
- Argentina1 in 1955
- Austria1 in 1955
- Bangladesh1 in 1955
- Brazil1 in 1955
- Canada1 in 1955
- Costa Rica1 in 1955
- El Salvador1 in 1955
- Iceland1 in 1955
- Iran1 in 1955
- Kazakhstan1 in 1955
- New Zealand1 in 1955
- Peru1 in 1955
- Portugal1 in 1955
- Saint Helena1 in 1955
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands1 in 1955
- Timor Leste1 in 1955
- Uzbekistan1 in 1955
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.