List of earthquakes in 1942

Earthquakes in 1942

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1942 5.0−5.9 magnitude 6.0−6.9 magnitude 7.0−7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Ayacucho Region, Peru (Magnitude 8.1) August 24
Deadliest	Samsun Province, Turkey (Magnitude 7.0) December 20 1,000 deaths
Total fatalities	1,489
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
8.0−8.9	2
7.0−7.9	14
6.0−6.9	57
5.0−5.9	1
← 1941 1943 →

This is a list of earthquakes in 1942. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. All dates are listed according to UTC time. This year saw an average number of magnitude 7.0+ events. The number of magnitude 6.0–6.9 quakes plummeted, but the year was in the height of World War II which could have impacted the numbers. The countries most affected by the war were in the Pacific Ring of Fire, particularly the western side. The dominant event this year in terms of deaths was in December in Turkey with 1,000 of the 1,489 deaths for the year. Other deadly events occurred elsewhere in Turkey. Ecuador, China and Albania had earthquakes causing dozens of deaths. An unusually large quake struck the Southwest Indian Ridge in November with a magnitude of 8.0. Spreading ridges usually have smaller magnitude events.

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	Depth (km)	Date
1	1,000	7.0	Samsun Province, Turkey	10.0	December 20
2	200	7.8	Manabi Province, Ecuador	20.0	May 14
3	90	6.3	Yunnan Province, China	35.0	January 31
4	51	6.0	Inner Mongolia, China	0.0	July 8
5	43	6.0	Diber County, Albania	33.0	August 27
6	38	7.7	off the west coast of Guatemala	35.0	August 6
7	30	8.1	Ayacucho Region, Peru	30.0	August 24
8	17	0.0	Corum Province, Turkey	0.0	November 21
9	16	6.1	Balikesir Province, Turkey	0.0	November 15

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	Depth (km)	Date
1	8.1	30	Ayacucho Region, Peru	30.0	August 24
2	8.0	0	Southwest Indian Ridge	10.0	November 10
3	7.8	200	Manabi Province, Ecuador	20.0	May 14
4	7.7	38	off the west coast of Guatemala	35.0	August 6
5	7.5	0	south of Minahasa Peninsula, Indonesia	120.0	May 28
6	7.4	0	west of Mindoro, Philippines	15.0	April 8
6	7.4	0	Kuril Islands, Russia	110.0	November 26
7	7.2	0	Papua (province), Indonesia	17.5	January 27
7	7.2	0	Mindanao, Philippines	35.0	October 20
7	7.2	0	central Mid-Atlantic Ridge	10.0	November 28
8	7.1	0	Vanuatu	130.0	January 29
9	7.0	0	Northern Mariana Islands	15.0	June 14
9	7.0	0	Wellington Region, North Island, New Zealand	15.0	June 24
9	7.0	0	south of Unimak Island, Alaska	80.0	September 9
9	7.0	0	southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia	130.0	September 14
9	7.0	1,000	Samsun Province, Turkey	10.0	December 20

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Amazonas Region, Peru on January 8 at a depth of 110.0 km.^[1]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Papua (province), Indonesia on January 27 at a depth of 17.5 km.^[2]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Vanuatu on January 29 at a depth of 130.0 km.^[3]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China on January 31 at a depth of 35.0 km. Ninety people were killed, 1,001 were hurt and many homes collapsed.^[4][5]

February

• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands on February 16 at a depth of 110.0 km.^[6]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on February 21 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[7]

March

• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Hokkaido, Japan on March 5 at a depth of 260.0 km.^[8]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada on March 19 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[9]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Ryukyu Islands, Japan on March 21 at a depth of 25.0 km.^[10]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on March 22 at a depth of 210.0 km.^[11]

April

• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck west of Mindoro, Philippines on April 8 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[12]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Quetzaltenango Department, Guatemala on April 11 at a depth of 140.0 km.^[13]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the central Mid-Atlantic Ridge on April 13 at a depth of 10.0 km.^[14]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the south coast of Honshu, Japan on April 20 at a depth of 350.0 km.^[15]

May

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Anzoategui State, Venezuela on May 6 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[16]
• A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Manabi Province, Ecuador on May 14 at a depth of 20.0 km. Two-hundred people were killed. Property damage costs were $2.5 million (1942 rate) and many homes were destroyed.^[17][18]
• A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Cundinamarca Department, Colombia on May 22 at a depth of 130.0 km. Some property damage was reported.^[19]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck northern Sumatra, Indonesia on May 24 at a depth of 60.0 km.^[20]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on May 27 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[21]
• A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck south of Minahasa Peninsula, Indonesia on May 28 at a depth of 120.0 km.^[22]

June

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge on June 2 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[23]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck west of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu on June 3 at a depth of 120.0 km.^[24]
• An earthquake struck Mendoza Province, Argentina on June 5. The magnitude and depth were unknown. Major property damage was caused.^[25]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Mindanao, Philippines on June 10 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[26]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Northern Mariana Islands on June 14 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[27]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on June 15 at a depth of 550.0 km.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Federated States of Micronesia on June 18 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[29]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Michoacan, Mexico on June 20 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[30]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Dodecanese Islands, Greece on June 21 at a depth of 130.0 km.^[31]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Wellington Region, North Island, New Zealand on June 24 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[32]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Coquimbo Region, Chile on June 29 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[33]

July

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Fiji on July 7 at a depth of 430.0 km.^[34]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Antofagasta Region, Chile on July 8 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[35]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Inner Mongolia, China on July 8 at an unknown depth. At least 51 were killed, 51 were hurt and some homes destroyed.^[36]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Chile Rise on July 20 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[37]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the west coast of Samar, Philippines on July 25 at a depth of 55.0 km.^[38]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Ceram Sea, Indonesia on July 29 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[39]

August

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Manawatu-Wanganui, North Island, New Zealand on August 1 at a depth of 35.0 km. This came five weeks after a large quake nearby.^[40]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Southeast Indian Ridge on August 1 at a depth of 10.0 km. This came within two hours of the New Zealand event.^[41]
• A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the west coast of Guatemala on August 6 at a depth of 35.0 km. Thirty-eight people were killed and major damage was caused in the area. Due to World War II information on this event is limited.^[42][43]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Suchitepequez Department, Guatemala on August 8 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[44]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia on August 23 at a depth of 20.0 km.^[45]
• A great magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Ayacucho Region, Peru on August 24 at a depth of 30.0 km. Thirty people were killed, 25 were injured and many homes collapsed.^[46][47]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Diber County, Albania on August 27 at a depth of 33.0 km. Forty-three deaths were caused as well 110 injuries. Many homes collapsed.^[48]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck south of Fiji on August 29 at a depth of 570.0 km.^[49]

September

• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck south of Unimak Island, Alaska on September 9 at a depth of 80.0 km.^[50]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia on September 14 at a depth of 130.0 km.^[51]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the west Chile Rise on September 22 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[52]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the east coast of Taiwan on September 24 at a depth of 10.0 km.^[53]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the west Chile Rise on September 27 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[54]

October

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck south of Panama on October 8 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[55]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Ruvuma Region, Tanzania on October 9 at a depth of 60.0 km.^[56]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Mindanao, Philippines on October 20 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[57]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck southern California on October 21 at a depth of 35.0 km. Some damage was reported in the area.^[58][59]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands, Russia on October 26 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[60]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico on October 28 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[61]

November

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Tonga on November 2 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[62]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck San Martin Region, Peru on November 6 at a depth of 130.0 km.^[63]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck just south of Solor, near Flores, Indonesia on November 7 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[64]
• A great magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the Southwest Indian Ridge on November 10 at a depth of 10.0 km. This was an unusually large event for an ocean spreading ridge.^[65]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Oaxaca, Mexico near the Chiapas border on November 12 at a depth of 60.0 km. Some damage was caused.^[66][67]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Balikesir Province, Turkey on November 15 at an unknown depth. This was the start of quite an active and deadly period for Turkey. Sixteen people were killed in this event with some damage being reported.^[68]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on November 15 at a depth of 15.0 km. This came a short while after the Turkey quake.^[69]
• An earthquake struck Corum Province, Turkey on November 21. The magnitude and depth were unknown. Seventeen people died and some damage was caused.^[70]
• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands, Russia on November 26 at a depth of 110.0 km.^[71]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the central Mid-Atlantic Ridge on November 28 at a depth of 10.0 km.^[72]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina on November 30 at a depth of 590.0 km.^[73]

December

• An earthquake struck Corum Province, Turkey on December 2. The magnitude and depth were unknown. Four people were killed and major damage was reported. This came just under two weeks after another event with a higher death toll on November 21.^[74]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Cook Inlet, Alaska on December 5 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[75]
• An earthquake struck Amasya Province, Turkey on December 11. The magnitude and depth were unknown. Major damage was reported.^[76]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Sea of Okhotsk, Russia on December 13 at a depth of 530.0 km.^[77]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Southern Ocean on December 17 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[78]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Izu Islands, Japan on December 19 at a depth of 20.0 km.^[79]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Samsun Province, Turkey on December 20 at a depth of 10.0 km. One-thousand people were killed and heavy damage was caused.^[80][81]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Tonga on December 22 at a depth of 50.0 km.^[82]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Cordoba Department, Colombia on December 26 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[83]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia on December 29 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[84]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge on December 31 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[85]

References

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