Significant earthquakes of 1920

September 7, 1920 Earthquake: Carrara,garfagnana, Italy

September 7, 1920 · M5.8 · 1,400 deaths

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Carrara,garfagnana, Italy on September 7, 1920 at 05:55:40 UTC, 10 km below the surface. It killed 1,400 people.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date
September 7, 1920
Time
05:55:40 UTC
Place
Carrara,garfagnana, Italy
Magnitude
5.8 (Ms)
Focal depth
10 km (6 mi)
Intensity
10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
44.300° N, 10.300° E
Country
Italy

The toll

Deaths
1,400

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Reference #130 lists earthquake on Sept 7, 1920, 05:55:40 UTC, 44 N, 10 E, magnitude 5.75.

Reference #1002 lists earthquake on Sept 7, 1920, 1400 deaths in Reggio, Emilia.

Reference #1004 lists earthquake on Sept 7, 1920, 05:55:40 UTC, 44.3 N, 10.3 E, depth 10 km, magnitude 6.3, intensity IX-X.

Reference #1075 lists earthquake on Sept 7, 1920, 05:55 UTC, 44.25 N, 10.28 E, intensity IX-X in Garfagnana.

Reference #1173 lists earthquake on Sept 7, 1920, in Carrara, Italy, magnitude 5.75, 556 deaths.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1920The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1920Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 3159.