Earthquakes in 1960
The USGS located 292 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1960, 136 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 846 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M9.5 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake (Valdivia Earthquake), May 22, 1960.
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 1960 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1960, by magnitude.
- 9.51960 Great Chilean Earthquake (Valdivia Earthquake) · 25 km deepChile
- 8.14 km ESE of Cañete, Chile · 25 km deepChile
- 8.0113 km ENE of Miyako, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 7.838 km WNW of Traiguén, Chile · 25 km deepChile
- 7.735 km S of Puerto Chacabuco, Chile · 15 km deepChile
- 7.6103 km WSW of Mórrope, Peru · 15 km deepPeru
- 7.4Off the coast of Araucania, Chile · 20 km deepChile
- 7.377 km NNE of Taltal, Chile · 35 km deepChile
- 7.2south of the Fiji Islands · 30 km deepFiji
- 7.126 km W of Angol, Chile · 25 km deepChile
- 7.121 km SSE of Nazca, Peru · 65 km deepPeru
- 7.0118 km E of Miyako, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 7.024 km WNW of Traiguén, Chile · 25 km deepChile
- 6.917 km WSW of Pitrufquén, Chile · 25 km deepChile
- 6.8187 km S of Nikolski, Alaska · 22 km deepAlaska
- 6.851 km ENE of Kuji, Japan · 53 km deepJapan
- 6.8north of Macquarie Island · 15 km deep
- 6.8108 km SSE of Kilju, North Korea · 608 km deepNorth Korea
- 6.822 km ESE of Cañete, Chile · 25 km deepChile
- 6.852 km S of Dalandzadgad, Mongolia · 20 km deepMongolia
- 6.7115 km W of Corral, Chile · 25 km deepChile
- 6.7Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia · 35 km deepIndonesia
- 6.796 km S of Lakatoro, Vanuatu · 10 km deepVanuatu
- 6.7259 km WNW of Puerto Chacabuco, Chile · 20 km deepChile
- 6.753 km E of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea · 25 km deepPapua New Guinea
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1960 | 141 | 7.1 | 21 km SSE of Nazca, Peru |
| February 1960 | 294 | 6.5 | 60 km WSW of Ambon, Indonesia |
| March 1960 | 156 | 8.0 | 113 km ENE of Miyako, Japan |
| April 1960 | 49 | 6.2 | 162 km W of Sola, Vanuatu |
| May 1960 | 61 | 9.5 | 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake (Valdivia Earthquake) |
| June 1960 | 92 | 7.7 | 35 km S of Puerto Chacabuco, Chile |
| July 1960 | 68 | 6.8 | 51 km ENE of Kuji, Japan |
| August 1960 | 48 | 6.7 | 115 km W of Corral, Chile |
| September 1960 | 47 | 6.6 | Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands |
| October 1960 | 65 | 6.8 | 108 km SSE of Kilju, North Korea |
| November 1960 | 43 | 7.6 | 103 km WSW of Mórrope, Peru |
| December 1960 | 44 | 7.3 | 77 km NNE of Taltal, Chile |
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.
- Chile45 in 1960
- Japan23 in 1960
- Indonesia16 in 1960
- Papua New Guinea14 in 1960
- Russia14 in 1960
- Vanuatu12 in 1960
- Tonga11 in 1960
- Fiji9 in 1960
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands9 in 1960
- Mexico7 in 1960
- China6 in 1960
- Canada5 in 1960
- Greece5 in 1960
- New Zealand5 in 1960
- Solomon Islands5 in 1960
- Philippines4 in 1960
- Democratic Republic of the Congo3 in 1960
- India3 in 1960
- Iran3 in 1960
- Peru3 in 1960
- Saint Helena3 in 1960
- Afghanistan2 in 1960
- Mongolia2 in 1960
- Panama2 in 1960
- Albania1 in 1960
- Algeria1 in 1960
- Antigua and Barbuda1 in 1960
- Argentina1 in 1960
- Colombia1 in 1960
- Costa Rica1 in 1960
- Djibouti1 in 1960
- Dominican Republic1 in 1960
- Guatemala1 in 1960
- Mauritius1 in 1960
- Morocco1 in 1960
- Myanmar1 in 1960
- Nepal1 in 1960
- Norfolk Island1 in 1960
- North Korea1 in 1960
- North Macedonia1 in 1960
- Portugal1 in 1960
- Romania1 in 1960
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen1 in 1960
- Taiwan1 in 1960
- Turkey1 in 1960
- Wallis and Futuna1 in 1960
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.