List of earthquakes in 1917

This is a list of earthquakes in 1917. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they 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. This year was marked by many earthquakes which caused deaths or damage across a number of countries.

Earthquakes in 1917

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1917 4.0–5.9 magnitude 6.0–6.9 magnitude 7.0–7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Western Samoa Trust Territory, Samoa June 26 (Magnitude 8.5)
Deadliest	Guatemala, Guatemala Department December 26 (Magnitude 6.0) 2,650 deaths
Total fatalities	6,221
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
← 1916 1918 →

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	2,650	6.0	Guatemala, Guatemala Department	( )	0.0	December 26
2	1,800	6.9	China, Sichuan Province	IX (Violent)	15.0	July 30
3	1,500	6.6	Dutch East Indies, Kangean Islands	IX (Violent)	0.0	January 20
= 4	101	6.3	China, Anhui Province	VIII (Severe)	20.0	January 24
= 4	101	6.7	El Salvador, La Libertad Department, El Salvador	( )	0.0	June 8
5	54	6.5	Taiwan, off south coast of Pingtung County	( )	0.0	January 4

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	8.5	2	Western Samoa Trust Territory, southwest of Samoa	( )	15.0	June 26
2	8.2	0	New Zealand, Kermadec Islands	( )	15.0	May 1
3	8.0	0	Russia, off the east coast of Kamchatka	( )	20.0	January 30
= 4	7.5	0	New Zealand, Kermadec Islands	( )	35.0	November 16
= 4	7.5	0	New Guinea, Sandaun Province	( )	35.0	July 29
= 5	7.4	0	United States, south of the Alaska Peninsula	V (Moderate)	35.0	May 31
= 5	7.4	0	Sea of Japan	( )	500.0	July 31
= 6	7.3	0	Dutch East Indies, Barat Daya Islands	( )	100.0	August 30
= 7	7.2	0	Cuba, south of	( )	0.0	February 20
= 7	7.2	0	Taiwan, northeast of	( )	0.0	July 4
= 8	7.1	0	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	( )	220.0	April 21
= 8	7.1	6	Colombia, Meta Department	VIII (Severe)	0.0	August 31
= 8	7.1	0	Dutch East Indies, northern Sumatra	( )	0.0	November 4
= 9	7.0	0	Taiwan, northeast of	( )	0.0	July 4
= 9	7.0	0	Japan, off east coast of Honshu	( )	0.0	July 29

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

January

Strongest magnitude	8.0 Mw  Russia
Deadliest	6.6 Mw  Dutch East Indies 1,500 deaths
Total fatalities	1,662+
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	1
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	6

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[1][2]	Taiwan, off the south coast of Pingtung County	6.5	0.0		54 people were killed and 85 were injured. 136 homes were destroyed. Part of the 1916–1917 Nantou earthquakes. Depth unknown.	54	85
6[3]	Taiwan, off the southeast coast of Pingtung County	6.5	0.0		Depth unknown.
20[4]	Dutch East Indies, Kangean Islands	6.6	0.0	IX	The 1917 Bali earthquake caused 1,500 deaths. Landslides resulted in the destruction of many homes. Depth unknown.	1,500
24[5][6]	China, Anhui Province	6.3	20.0	VIII	At least 101 deaths were caused. Many homes were destroyed.	101+
25[7][8]	China, off the coast of Fujian Province	6.5	0.0		A tsunami was generated which damaged some fishing boats.
30[9]	Russia, Kamchatka	8.0	20.0
31[10]	Philippines, Mindanao	6.4	0.0	IX	A landslide caused 7 deaths. 2 people were injured. Some homes were destroyed. A tsunami was reported. Depth unknown.	7	2

February

February

Strongest magnitude	7.2 Mw  Cuba
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
15[11]	Chile, off the coast of Coquimbo Region	6.8	0.0		Depth unknown.
20[12]	Cuba, south of	7.2	0.0		Depth unknown.

March

March

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
15[13]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.

April

April

Strongest magnitude	7.1 Mw  Afghanistan
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
21[14]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	7.1	220.0
29[15]	Russia, Buryatia	6.5	10.0

May

May

Strongest magnitude	8.2 Mw  New Zealand
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	1
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	0

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[16]	New Zealand, Kermadec Islands	8.2	15.0
31[17][18]	United States, south of the Alaska Peninsula	7.4	35.0	V

June

June

Strongest magnitude	8.5 Mw Western Samoa Trust Territory
Deadliest	6.7 Mw  El Salvador 101 deaths
Total fatalities	103+
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	1
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
8[19]	El Salvador, La Libertad Department (El Salvador)	6.7	0.0		At least 101 people were killed and major damage was caused by the 1917 San Salvador earthquake. Many homes were destroyed. Depth unknown.	101+
24[20]	Tonga	6.6	60.0
26[21][22][23]	Western Samoa Trust Territory	8.5	15.0		A tsunami was triggered by the 1917 Samoa earthquake. 2 people were killed. Many homes were destroyed. The earthquake caused some damage in its own right.	2

July

July

Strongest magnitude	7.4 Mw 2 events
Deadliest	6.9 Mw  China 1,800 deaths
Total fatalities	1,800
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	5
6.0–6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[24]	Taiwan, northeast of	7.2	0.0		Depth unknown.
4[25]	Taiwan, northeast of	7.0	0.0		Aftershock. Depth unknown.
27[26]	Argentina, San Juan Province, Argentina	6.9	60.0
29[27]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.
29[28]	New Guinea, Sandaun Province	7.5	35.0
30[29][30]	China, Sichuan Province	6.9	15.0	IX	1,800 people were killed. Major destruction was caused in the area. Many homes were destroyed.	1,800
31[31]	Sea of Japan	7.4	500.0

August

August

Strongest magnitude	7.3 Mw  Dutch East Indies
Deadliest	7.1 Mw  Colombia 6 deaths
Total fatalities	6
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
5[32]	New Zealand, off the southeast coast of North Island	6.6	15.0
30[33]	Dutch East Indies, Barat Daya Islands	7.3	100.0
31[34][35]	Colombia, Meta Department	7.1	0.0	VIII	6 people were killed and 51 were injured. A few homes were destroyed. Depth unknown.	6	51+

November

November

Strongest magnitude	7.5 Mw  New Zealand
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	0

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[36]	Dutch East Indies, northern Sumatra	7.1	0.0		Depth unknown.
16[37]	New Zealand, Kermadec Islands	7.5	35.0		Depth unknown.

December

December

Strongest magnitude	6.9 Mw  Mexico
Total fatalities	2,650
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
26[38]	Guatemala, Guatemala Department	6.0	0.0		Further destructive events took place into January 1918. In total the series caused 2,650 deaths. Major damage was caused with Guatemala City being hardest hit. Depth unknown.	2,650
29[39]	Mexico, off the coast of Oaxaca	6.9	20.0