List of earthquakes in 1951

This is a list of earthquakes in 1951. 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. Once again a very active year. One major series of earthquakes in Taiwan in October and November helped towards the upheaval. This series resulted in around 85 deaths in all. The main quakes causing most of the deaths shook neighboring parts of Central America with El Salvador in May (1,100 deaths) and Nicaragua in August (1,000 deaths) being affected. Aside from this activity China, Russia and the southwest Pacific islands saw magnitude 7.0+ quakes. Malaysia's North Borneo Sabah saw the biggest quake in its history with a magnitude 6.4, which killed 6 peoples in Kudat including 4 children.

Earthquakes in 1951

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1951 4.0–5.9 magnitude 6.0–6.9 magnitude 7.0–7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Taiwan, Hualien County (Magnitude 7.8) November 24
Deadliest	El Salvador, off the coast of (Magnitude 6.5) May 6, 1,100 deaths
Total fatalities	2,236
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
← 1950 1952 →

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	1,100	6.5	El Salvador, offshore	( )	85.0	May 6
2	1,000	6.1	Honduras, Gulf of Fonseca	VI (Strong)	15.0	August 3
3	68	7.0	Taiwan, Hualien County	VII (Very strong)	20.0	October 22
4	50	7.0	Turkey, Karabuk Province	IX (Violent)	25.0	August 13
5	17	7.3	Taiwan, Taitung County	VII (Very strong)	25.0	November 24

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	7.8	0	Taiwan, Hualien County	VII (Very strong)	30.0	November 24
2	7.7	0	China, Xizang Province	VII (Very strong)	30.0	November 18
= 3	7.5	0	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	( )	215.6	January 6
= 3	7.5	0	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	( )	221.9	June 12
= 3	7.5	0	Taiwan, Hualien County	VII (Very strong)	25.0	October 21
= 3	7.5	0	Southwest Indian Ridge	( )	15.0	December 8
= 4	7.3	0	Australia, Morobe Province, Papua and New Guinea	( )	180.0	February 17
= 4	7.3	17	Taiwan, Taitung County	VII (Very strong)	25.0	November 24
= 5	7.2	0	New Hebrides, Vanuatu	( )	101.0	March 10
= 5	7.2	0	Taiwan, Hualien County	VII (Very strong)	25.0	October 22
= 6	7.1	0	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Sakha Republic	VIII (Severe)	10.0	April 14
= 6	7.1	0	Japan, Bonin Islands	( )	496.7	July 11
= 7	7.0	0	New Zealand, Kermadec Islands	( )	220.0	March 23
= 7	7.0	0	Australia, west of Bougainville Island, Papua and New Guinea	( )	149.8	May 21
= 7	7.0	50	Turkey, Karabuk Province	IX (Violent)	25.0	August 13
= 7	7.0	68	Taiwan, Hualien County	VII (Very strong)	20.0	October 22
= 7	7.0	0	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Kuril Islands	( )	35.0	November 6

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

January

Strongest magnitude	7.5 Mw Afghanistan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	9

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3[1][2]	Chile, Araucanía Region	6.2	35.0	VI
6[3]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	7.5	215.6
6[4][5]	Panama, off the south coast of	6.6	54.4	VI
8[6][7]	Japan, Chiba Prefecture, Honshu	6.1	55.0	V
8[8]	Australia, off the north coast of New Britain, Papua and New Guinea	6.9	0.0		Unknown depth.
15[9]	New Hebrides, Vanuatu	6.5	88.3
15[10]	Indonesia, south of West Papua (province)	6.3	15.0
22[11][12]	Mozambique Channel	6.1	15.0	V
24[13][14]	Mexico, Baja California	6.0	6.0	VIII
28[15]	Taiwan, east of	6.1	15.0

February

February

Strongest magnitude	7.3 Mw Australia
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	6

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
10[16][17]	New Zealand, Hawke's Bay, North Island	6.3	15.0	VI
12[18][19]	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Sakha Republic	6.5	10.0	VIII
13[20]	Indonesia, Batu Islands	6.0	25.0
13[21]	Tonga	6.9	249.9
13[22]	United States, south of the Alaska Peninsula	6.9	20.0
17[23]	Australia, Morobe Province, Papua and New Guinea	7.3	180.0
22[24][25]	Australia, Sandaun Province, Papua and New Guinea	6.1	25.0	VI

March

March

Strongest magnitude	7.2 Mw New Hebrides
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	8

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
5[26]	Japan, Ryukyu Islands	6.9	168.9
9[27][28]	Indonesia, Savu Sea	6.7	35.0	VI
10[29]	New Hebrides, Vanuatu	7.2	101.0
10[30]	Japan, off the northeast coast of Honshu	6.1	64.4
12[31][32]	India, Arunachal Pradesh	6.0	25.0	VII
17[33][34]	China, eastern Xizang Province	6.2	15.0	VII
19[35][36]	Portugal, Inhambane Province, Mozambique	6.0	15.0	VII
19[37]	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Kamchatka Krai	6.1	15.0
23[38]	New Zealand, Kermadec Islands	7.0	220.0
24[39]	United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands	6.9	157.7

April

April

Strongest magnitude	7.1 Mw Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	12

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[40][41]	El Salvador, off the coast	6.0	55.0	V
2[42][43]	Australia, West New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea	6.1	60.0	VI
13[44][45]	Indonesia, south of Sumba	6.3	25.0	VI
14[46]	Argentina, Jujuy Province	6.8	185.2
14[47][48]	Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic, Districts of Republican Subordination	6.1	15.0	VI
14[49][50]	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Sakha Republic, Russia	7.1	10.0	VIII
14[51][52]	India, Arunachal Pradesh	6.4	15.0	VII
16[53]	Japan, south of Honshu	6.8	471.1
22[54][55]	India, Arunachal Pradesh	6.0	25.0	VI
23[56][57]	United States, Hawaii (island), Hawaii	6.5	0.0	VII
23[58][59]	New Zealand, off the north coast of North Island	6.1	20.0	VI
23[60]	Bolivia, Potosi Department	6.4	247.7
30[61]	Australia, Solomon Sea, Papua and New Guinea	6.5	25.0

May

May

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw Australia
Deadliest	6.5 Mw El Salvador 1,100 deaths
Total fatalities	1,100
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	11

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
6[62]	El Salvador, Usulután Department	6.2	95.6		Foreshock.
6[63][64]	El Salvador, off the coast	6.5	85.0		Main article: 1951 El Salvador earthquake	1,100
7[65]	El Salvador, Usulután Department	6.0	115.0		Aftershock.
10[66][67]	Portugal, Sofala Province, Mozambique	6.1	25.0	VII
10[68][69]	Chile, off the coast of O'Higgins Region	6.1	32.7	VI
15[70][71]	Chile, Antofagasta Region	6.0	53.3	VI
16[72]	Indonesia, Molucca Sea	6.0	15.0
21[73]	Australia, Bougainville Island, Papua and New Guinea	7.0	149.8
28[74][75]	China, western Xizang Province	6.0	15.0	VI
29[76][77]	Indonesia, Papua (province)	6.3	25.0	VI
30[78][79]	Indonesia, north of Buru	6.1	35.0	VI
31[80][81]	Philippines, north of Luzon	6.2	61.4	VI

June

June

Strongest magnitude	7.5 Mw Afghanistan
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[82][83]	Malaysia, Sabah	6.1	15.0	VII
5[84][85]	Japan, southeast of the Ryukyu Islands	6.7	35.0	V
12[86]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	7.5	221.9
20[87][88]	Taiwan, off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan	6.1	15.0	VI
25[89][90]	United States, southern Alaska	6.3	128.0	V

July

July

Strongest magnitude	7.1 Mw Japan
Deadliest	6.0 Mw Mexico 1 death
Total fatalities	1
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	8

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[91][92]	Philippines, off the south coast of Mindanao	6.0	25.0	VI
2[93]	Tonga, eastern Tongatapu	6.1	35.0
8[94][95]	Philippines, west of Negros (island)	6.5	25.0	VII
9[96][97][98]	Mexico, Oaxaca	6.0	25.0	VI	1 person was killed an some damage was caused.	1
11[99]	Japan, Bonin Islands	7.1	496.7
16[100]	Australia, Madang Province, Papua and New Guinea	6.5	96.4
17[101]	New Hebrides, Vanuatu	6.5	152.7
25[102]	Guatemala, Escuintla Department	6.2	100.0
26[103]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.1	45.0

August

August

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw Turkey
Deadliest	6.1 Mw Honduras 1,000 death
Total fatalities	1,050
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	5
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3[104][105][106][107]	Honduras, Gulf of Fonseca	6.1	15.0	VI	The earthquake caused the walls of Cosigüina volcano to collapse. The cascading water flooded neighboring towns. At least 1,000 deaths were reported as well as major damage.	1,000
6[108][109][110]	Nicaragua, off the west coast	5.6	55.0	IV	A number of homes were destroyed.
12[111][112]	Indonesia, Papua (province)	6.2	15.0	VI
13[113][114][115]	Turkey, Karabuk Province	7.0	25.0	IX	The 1951 Kursunlu earthquake left 50 people dead and caused major damage.	50
18[116]	Indonesia, Molucca Sea	6.1	30.0
21[117][118][119]	United States, Hawaii (island), Hawaii	6.9	0.0	VIII	2 people were hurt. Several buildings and infrastructure sustained varying degrees of damage.		2
24[120]	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Kuril Islands	6.5	166.8

September

September

Strongest magnitude	6.8 Mw Fiji
Total fatalities	0
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
8[121]	Fiji, south of	6.8	494.1
28[122]	New Zealand, Kermadec Islands	6.5	25.0

October

October

Strongest magnitude	7.5 Mw Taiwan
Deadliest	7.5 Mw Taiwan 68 deaths
Total fatalities	68
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	3
6.0–6.9	28

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
8[123][124]	United States, off the coast of northern California	6.0	15.0	V
11[125][126]	Papua and New Guinea, East New Britain Province	6.3	35.0	VI
15[127][128]	Japan, south of Shikoku	6.1	20.5	V
18[129][130]	Japan, off the northeast coast of Honshu	6.4	65.0	V
21[131][132]	Taiwan, Hualien County	7.5	25.0	VII	This was the first in a swarm of powerful earthquakes that struck eastern Taiwan over the next few weeks. To prevent cluttering only magnitude 7.0+ events or ones that caused damage or deaths will be listed. All magnitude 6.0+ events have been plotted on the map and included in the statistics.
22[133][134]	Taiwan, Hualien County	7.2	25.0	VII	1951 East Rift Valley earthquakes.
22[135][136][137]	Taiwan, Hualien County	7.0	20.0	VII	1951 East Rift Valley earthquakes. This was the last of the magnitude 7.0+ events in the initial part of the swarm. A total of 68 people were killed across these events. 586 were injured. 2,382 homes were destroyed.	68	586
31[138][139]	Indonesia, Batu Islands	6.5	50.0	VI
31[140][141]	Indonesia, Batu Islands	6.0	30.0	V	Aftershock.

November

November

Strongest magnitude	7.8 Mw Taiwan
Deadliest	7.3 Mw Taiwan 17 deaths
Total fatalities	17
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	4
6.0–6.9	9

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[142][143]	Philippines, off the east coast of Samar	6.3	25.0	VI
6[144]	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Kuril Islands	7.0	35.0
9[145]	Chile, Antofagasta Region	6.8	123.0
12[146]	Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, east of the Kuril Islands	6.5	20.0
17[147][148]	China, eastern Xizang Province	6.1	15.0	VII	Foreshock.
18[149]	China, eastern Xizang Province	6.8	15.0		Foreshock.
18[150][151][152]	China, eastern Xizang Province	7.7	30.0	VII	Some homes were destroyed.
18[153][154]	China, eastern Xizang Province	6.0	15.0	VII	Aftershock.
22[155][156]	Australia, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea	6.2	45.0	VI
24[157][158][159]	Taiwan, Taitung County	7.3	25.0	VII	Part of the 1951 East Rift Valley earthquakes. 17 people were killed and 250 were injured. Further damage was caused.	17	250
24[160][161]	Taiwan, Taitung County	7.8	30.0	VII	Part of the 1951 East Rift Valley earthquakes. This came only 3 minutes after the previous event.
29[162]	Indonesia, Minahassa Peninsula, Sulawesi	6.5	121.9

December

December

Strongest magnitude	7.5 Mw Southwest Indian Ridge
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	7

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
6[163][164]	Colombia, off the coast of Choco Department	6.1	15.0	VI
8[165]	Southwest Indian Ridge	7.5	15.0
12[166]	Mexico, Oaxaca	6.8	86.8
21[167][168][169]	China, Yunnan Province	6.4	27.5	IX	Major destruction was caused in the area. 29,890 homes were destroyed.
26[170][171]	China, eastern Xizang Province	6.3	15.0	VII
26[172][173]	China, Gansu Province	6.2	15.0	VII
28[174][175]	Mexico, Guerrero	6.5	30.7	VI