List of earthquakes in 1900

This is a list of earthquakes in 1900. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Exceptions to this are earthquakes which have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. The countries and their flags are noted as they would have appeared in this year for example the Netherlands being in control of present-day Indonesia. An average year with 13 magnitude 7.0+ events being reported. The death toll was low with an event in Venezuela making up the vast majority of the total.

Earthquakes in 1900

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1900 4.0–5.9 magnitude 6.0–6.9 magnitude 7.0–7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	United States, Kodiak Island, Alaska (Magnitude 7.9) October 9
Deadliest	Venezuela, Miranda (state) (Magnitude 7.7) October 29 25 deaths
Total fatalities	35
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
1901 →

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	25	7.7	Venezuela, offshore Miranda (state)	X (Extreme)	0.0	October 29

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	7.9	0	United States, Kodiak Island, Alaska	VIII (Severe)	0.0	October 9
2	7.7	25	Venezuela, offshore Miranda (state)	X (Extreme)	0.0	October 29
3	7.6	0	United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands	VI (Strong)	0.0	July 29
4	7.5	0	Russia, Sea of Okhotsk	( )	450.0	January 31
5	7.3	0	Mexico, Jalisco	( )	10.0	January 20
6	7.2	0	Costa Rica, Guanacaste Province	( )	0.0	June 21
= 7	7.1	0	German Empire, Bismarck Sea, German New Guinea	( )	0.0	September 17
= 7	7.1	0	Russia, Kuril Islands	IX (Violent)	35.0	December 25
= 8	7.0	0	Netherlands, southern Sumatra, Dutch East Indies	( )	0.0	January 5
= 8	7.0	0	German Empire, Bismarck Sea, German New Guinea	( )	0.0	January 11
= 8	7.0	0	Japan, Miyagi Prefecture, Honshu	( )	5.0	May 11
= 8	7.0	0	El Salvador, offshore	( )	0.0	November 9
= 8	7.0	0	Russia, east of the Kuril Islands	( )	35.0	November 24

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

January

Strongest magnitude	7.5 Mw  Russia
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	4
6.0–6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
5[1][2]	Dutch East Indies, southern Sumatra	7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.
11[1][2]	German Empire, Bismarck Sea, German New Guinea	7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.
14[3]	Dutch East Indies, West Java	0.0	0.0	VII	Magnitude and depth unknown. Many homes in Sukabumi sustained damage.
18[1][2]	Russia, Kuril Islands	6.7	35.0
20[1][2][4]	Mexico, Jalisco	7.3	10.0		Some damage was caused in Colima. Landslides were reported in Guadalajara.
31[1][2]	Russia, Sea of Okhotsk	7.5	450.0

April

April

Strongest magnitude	6.9 Mw  Japan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
24[1][2]	Japan, Ryukyu Islands	6.9	35.0

May

May

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw  Japan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
11[1][2]	Japan, Miyagi Prefecture, Honshu	7.0	5.0
16[1][2]	Mexico, Jalisco	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.

June

June

Strongest magnitude	7.2 Mw  Costa Rica
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	0

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
21[1][2]	Costa Rica, Guanacaste Province	7.2	0.0		Depth unknown.

July

July

Strongest magnitude	7.6 Mw  United Kingdom
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	0

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
29[1][2]	United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands	7.6	0.0		Depth unknown.

August

August

Strongest magnitude	6.8 Mw  Japan
Deadliest	0.0 Mw  United States 5 deaths
Total fatalities	5
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
5[1][2]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.6	35.0
11[5]	United States, southeastern Alaska	0.0	0.0		An earthquake originated in Lituya Bay which caused a significant tsunami in the area. 5 people were killed in the ensuing flooding as the waves swept ashore.	5
29[1][2]	Japan, off the south coast of Hokkaido	6.8	35.0

September

September

Strongest magnitude	7.1 Mw  United Kingdom
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
10[6]	German Empire, north of New Britain, German New Guinea	6.8	0.0		Depth unknown. Some homes were damaged.
17[1][2][7]	German Empire, Bismarck Sea, German New Guinea	7.1	0.0		Depth unknown. Minor material damage was caused.

October

October

Strongest magnitude	7.9 Mw  United States
Deadliest	7.7 Mw  Venezuela 25 deaths
Total fatalities	30
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
7[1][2][8]	Dutch East Indies, Papua (province)	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown. A tsunami washed ashore at Yapen leaving 5 people dead and the destruction of 1 home.	5
9[9][10]	United States, Kodiak Island, Alaska	7.9	0.0	VIII	Largest event in 1900. Depth unknown. Property and infrastructure damage was caused on Kodiak Island.
29[1][2][11]	Venezuela, offshore Miranda (state)	7.7	0.0	X	Deadliest event in 1900. Depth unknown. Further information: 1900 San Narciso earthquake .	25

November

November

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw 2 events
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
5[1][2]	Japan, Izu Islands	6.6	5.0
9[1][2]	El Salvador, offshore	7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.
12[1][2]	German Empire, Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
24[1][2]	Russia, east of the Kuril Islands	7.0	35.0

December

December

Strongest magnitude	7.1 Mw  Russia
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	0

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
25[1][2][12]	Russia, Kuril Islands	7.1	35.0	IX

References

1. "International Seismological Centre (2021) On-Line Bulletin". International Seismological Centre. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
2. Adams, R. D.; Hughes, A. A.; McGregor, D. M. (November 1982). "Adams, R.D., Hughes, A.A., and McGregor, D.M. (1982). Analysis procedures at the International Seismological Centre. Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 30: 85-93". Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors. Special Issue Earthquake Algorithms. 30 (2). ScienceDirect: 85–93. doi:10.1016/0031-9201(82)90093-0. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
3. "Significant Earthquake Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
4. "Significant Earthquake Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
5. "Tsunami Event Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
6. "Significant Earthquake Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
7. "Significant Earthquake Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
8. "Tsunami Event Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
9. "M 7.9 – Kodiak Island region, Alaska". United States Geological Survey. October 9, 1900. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
10. "Significant Earthquake Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
11. "Significant Earthquake Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
12. "Significant Earthquake Information". National Geophysical Data Center. Retrieved July 13, 2021.