List of earthquakes in 1923

This is a list of earthquakes in 1923. 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. 1923 was a memorable year. Among the events was the great Tokyo, Japan earthquake. Other destructive earthquakes struck China, Iran, Colombia and Russia. The Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia and Japan saw very much activity this year.

Earthquakes in 1923

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1923 4.0–5.9 magnitude 6.0–6.9 magnitude 7.0–7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Russian SFSR, eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, February 3 (Magnitude 8.4)
Deadliest	Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu, September 1 (Magnitude 8.1) 186,283 deaths
Total fatalities	194,102
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
8.0–8.9	2
7.0–7.9	15
6.0–6.9	51
5.0–5.9	2
← 1922 1924 →

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	186,283	7.9	Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu	XI (Extreme)	15.0	September 1
2	4,800	7.0	China, Sichuan	X (Extreme)	15.0	March 24
3	2,200	5.7	Iran, Razavi Khorasan Province	X (Extreme)	0.0	May 25
4	300	5.3	Colombia, Narino Department	IX (Violent)	0.0	December 14
5	290	6.8	Iran, Kerman Province	( )	15.0	September 22
6	157	6.4	Iran, Razavi Khorasan Province	( )	15.0	September 17
7	51	6.8	Ecuador, Pichincha Province	IX (Violent)	0.0	February 24
8	18	6.8	Russian SFSR, eastern Kamchatka Peninsula	X (Extreme)	35.0	April 13

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	8.4	3	Russian SFSR, eastern Kamchatka Peninsula	XI (Extreme)	15.0	February 3
2	8.1	186,283	Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu	XI (Extreme)	15.0	September 1
3	7.8	0	Japan, Chiba Prefecture, Honshu	( )	15.0	September 2
4	7.4	0	Dutch East Indies, Raja Ampat Islands	( )	15.0	October 7
= 5	7.3	0	Russian SFSR, off the east coast of Kamchatka Peninsula	( )	15.0	February 24
= 5	7.3	0	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	( )	35.0	September 1
= 6	7.2	0	Russian SFSR, off the east coast of Kamchatka Peninsula	( )	35.0	February 2
= 6	7.2	0	British Burma, Shan State	( )	25.0	June 22
= 6	7.2	0	New Guinea, northwest of Bougainville Island	( )	145.1	November 2
= 7	7.1	0	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	( )	35.0	June 1
= 7	7.1	0	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	( )	35.0	September 2
= 8	7.0	0	Philippines, Mindanao	VII (Very strong)	15.0	March 2
= 8	7.0	4,800	China, Sichuan	X (Extreme)	15.0	March 24
= 8	7.0	0	United States, south of the Alaska Peninsula	( )	25.0	May 4
= 8	7.0	0	Japan, south of Kyushu	( )	35.0	July 13
= 8	7.0	0	Japan, Tokyo Bay, Honshu	( )	35.0	September 1
= 8	7.0	0	New Guinea, southeast New Ireland (island)	( )	35.0	November 4

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

January

Strongest magnitude	6.9 Mw  United States
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
22[1][2]	United States, off the coast of northern California	6.9	15.0	VIII	Some damage was reported.

February

February

Strongest magnitude	8.4 Mw Russian SFSR
Deadliest	6.8 Mw  Ecuador 51+ deaths
Total fatalities	54+
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	1
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	4

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[3]	France, southeast of the Loyalty Islands	6.9	30.0
2[4]	Russian SFSR, off the east coast of Kamchatka	6.7	15.0		Foreshock.
2[5]	Russian SFSR, off the east coast of Kamchatka	7.2	35.0		Foreshock.
3[6][7][8]	Russian SFSR, eastern Kamchatka	8.4	15.0	XI	The February 1923 Kamchatka earthquake generated a large tsunami which caused some damage. Three deaths were reported. Two were in Russia with the third being in Hawaii. Damage costs were $1.5 million (1923 rate).	3
23[9]	Dutch East Indies, Central Sulawesi	6.5	35.0
24[10]	Ecuador, Pichincha Province	6.8	0.0	IX	At least 51 deaths were caused.	51+
24[11][12]	Russian SFSR, off the east coast of Kamchatka	7.3	15.0		Some damage was caused.

March

March

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw 2 events
Deadliest	7.0 Mw  China 4,800 deaths
Total fatalities	4,800
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
2[13][14]	Philippines, Mindanao	7.0	15.0	VII
14[15]	Philippines, southeast of Mindanao	6.4	35.0
16[16]	Philippines, southeast of Mindanao	6.8	35.0
24[17][18]	China, Sichuan	7.0	15.0	X	The 1923 Renda earthquake killed 4,800 people and caused major property damage.	4,800

April

April

Strongest magnitude	8.2 Mw 2 events
Deadliest	8.2 Mw Russian SFSR 18 deaths
Total fatalities	18
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	1
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	3

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
13[19][20][21][22]	Russian SFSR, eastern Kamchatka	8.2	35.0	X	18 people were killed due to a tsunami caused by the April 1923 Kamchatka earthquake and tsunami. 400 people were believed drowned in Korea. Major damage was reported.	18
19[23]	Dutch East Indies, Kalimantan	6.8	35.0
23[24]	Japan, Ryukyu Islands	6.6	20.0

May

May

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw  United States
Deadliest	5.7 Mw Iran 2,200 deaths
Total fatalities	2,200
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	3
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[25]	United States, south of the Alaska Peninsula	7.0	25.0
4[26][27]	Chile, Atacama Region	6.5	35.0		Some homes were damaged or destroyed.
12[28]	Dutch East Indies, Sunda Strait	6.4	25.0
15[29]	Dutch East Indies, off the south coast of Java	0.0	0.0	IX	Damage was reported in the area. The magnitude and depth were unknown.
23[30]	Russian SFSR, off the east coast of Kamchatka	6.5	15.0
25[31]	Iran, Razavi Khorasan Province	5.7	0.0	X	Main article: 1923 Torbat-e Heydarieh earthquake	2,200

June

June

Strongest magnitude	7.2 Mw British Burma
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
1[32]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.9	15.0	rowspan="2"|This pair of events struck three hours apart and is an example of a doublet earthquake.
1[33]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	7.1	35.0
Jun 18[34]	Tonga	6.8	15.0
22[35]	British Burma, Shan State	7.2	25.0

July

July

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	4

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[36]	Taiwan, north of	6.2	25.0
12[37]	Fiji, north of Vanua Levu	6.4	15.0
13[38]	Japan, off the south coast of Kyushu	7.0	35.0
13[39]	Japan, east of Tanegashima	6.6	35.0		Aftershock.
23[40][41]	United States, south of Loma Linda, California	6.2	35.0		Two people were injured and minor damage was caused.

August

August

Strongest magnitude	6.6 Mw Japan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	5

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[42]	Greece, south of Crete	6.5	35.0
8[43]	Venezuela, Sucre, Venezuela	6.3	110.0
11[44]	Malaya, Sabah	6.3	35.0
12[45]	Japan, Ryukyu Islands	6.6	35.0
28[46]	Mexico, Gulf of California	6.5	10.0

September

September

Strongest magnitude	8.1 Mw  Japan
Deadliest	8.1 Mw  Japan 186,283 deaths
Total fatalities	186,730
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	1
7.0–7.9	4
6.0–6.9	13

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[47][48]	Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu	8.1	15.0	XI	The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake was one of the most destructive of the 20th Century. Tokyo and surrounding areas suffered heavily both in human and material terms. The death toll was 142,807 with another 43,476 missing. Another 47,000 were injured. Strong aftershocks rattled the region and the fires associated with the earthquakes caused further disruption. Property damage was $600 million (1923 rate). 695,000 homes were destroyed.	186,283	47,000
1[49]	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	6.5	60.0		Aftershock.
1[50]	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	7.3	35.0		Aftershock.
1[51]	Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu	6.6	35.0		Aftershock.
1[52]	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	7.0	35.0		Aftershock.
1[53]	Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Honshu	6.7	35.0		Aftershock.
1[54]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.5	35.0		Aftershock.
1[55]	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	6.4	15.0		Aftershock.
2[56]	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	7.8	15.0		Aftershock.
2[57]	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	7.1	35.0		Aftershock.
2[58]	Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu	6.5	5.0		Aftershock.
2[59]	Bolivia, Beni Department	6.8	35.0
9[60]	Bangladesh, Netrokona District	6.8	15.0
14[61]	Mongolia, Zavkhan Province	6.2	35.0
16[62]	Dutch East Indies, Papua (province)	6.5	35.0
17[63][64]	Iran, Razavi Khorasan Province	6.4	15.0	IX	157 people were killed and major damage was caused.	157
22[65][66]	Iran, Kerman Province	6.8	15.0		290 people were killed.	290
26[67]	Japan, off the south coast of Honshu	6.5	10.0		Aftershock.

October

October

Strongest magnitude	7.4 Mw  Dutch East Indies
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	3

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[68]	Bangladesh, Punjab, Pakistan	6.3	15.0
7[69]	Dutch East Indies, Raja Ampat Islands	7.4	15.0
10[70]	Norway, north of Jan Mayen	6.5	15.0
15[71]	Dutch East Indies, southern Sumba	6.3	35.0

November

November

Strongest magnitude	7.2 Mw  New Guinea
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	6

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[72]	New Guinea, northwest of Bougainville Island	7.2	145.1
3[73]	Haiti, Gulf of Gonâve	6.0	35.0
3[74]	Japan, Ryukyu Islands	6.8	35.0
4[75]	New Guinea, southeast New Ireland	7.0	35.0
5[76]	Japan, Ryukyu Islands	6.9	35.0
6[77]	Chile, Araucanía Region	6.2	35.0
6[78]	Japan, Ryukyu Islands	6.5	35.0
18[79]	Taiwan, east of	6.6	25.0

December

December

Strongest magnitude	6.5 Mw 2 events
Deadliest	5.3 Mw  Colombia 300 deaths
Total fatalities	300
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	3
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[80]	Japan, south of Shikoku	6.5	5.0
5[81]	Greece, Aegean Sea	6.2	10.0
14[82]	Colombia, Narino Department	5.3	0.0	IX	300 people were killed and major damage was caused.	300
28[83]	Turkestan ASSR, Sughd Region	6.5	20.0