September 20, 1920 Earthquake: Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia

Name: September 20, 1920 Earthquake: Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
Start: 1920-09-20
Location: Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia

September 20, 1920 · M8.1

A magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia on September 20, 1920 at 14:39:03 UTC, 25 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.

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 20, 1920
Time: 14:39:03 UTC
Place: Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
Magnitude: 8.1 (Mw)
Focal depth: 25 km (16 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 19.982° S, 168.478° E
Country: New Caledonia

The toll

Damage: Limited (under about $1 million) with its tsunami and other effects

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 #414:

1920, September 21. There was an earthquake (20 S, 168 E, magnitude 8) with source off the New Hebrides Islands. The tsunami which arose was registered at Apia (Samoa Islands) 4 hours and 28 minutes after the earthquake.

Reference #88:

1920, September 20, 14:39 UTC, 20 S, 168 E, shallow depth, magnitude 8.3.

Reference #130:

1920, September 20, 14:39 UTC, 20 S, 168 E, shallow depth, magnitude 8.

Reference #1002:

1920, September 20. S. New Hebrides, magnitude 8.3.

Reference #9910:

1920, September 20, 14:39:5.91 UTC, 19.919 S 168.53 E, depth 35 km, 7.8 Mw P&S, 7.9 Ms ABE1, 7.7 Ms P&S, 7.8 mB ABE1, 8.3 UK B&D.

Reference #12639:

1920 event's magnitude was Mw 7.5–7.8

Reference #10476 (v. 12.1):

magnitude was Mw 8.09

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1920 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1920 Recent earthquakes near here This 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 3162.