Girish Mahajan (Editor)

List of earthquakes in 1949

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Total fatalities
  
9,984

8.0−8.9
  
1

9.0+
  
0

List of earthquakes in 1949

4.0−5.9 magnitude 6.0−6.9 magnitude
  
7.0−7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude

Strongest magnitude
  
western Haida Gwaii, Canada (Magnitude 8.2) August 22

Deadliest
  
Tungurahua Province, Ecuador (Magnitude 6.5) August 5 6,000 deaths

This is a list of earthquakes in 1949. 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. Three events took up the vast majority of the deaths for 1949. The events happened during a volatile mid year period seismically speaking. Firstly in Tajikistan in July 3,500 were killed. A few weeks later in early August a quake struck Ecuador leaving 6,000 dead. In mid August Turkey suffered from an earthquake leaving another 320 dead. Also in this part of the year was the largest quake, a magnitude 8.2 in Canada.

Contents

By death toll

  • Note: At least 10 casualties

    • By magnitude

  • Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

    • January

  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the east coast of Taiwan on January 19 at a depth of 0.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Sea of Japan on January 20 at a depth of 0.0 km.
  • A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Fiji on January 24 at a depth of 104.1 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck north of New Ireland (island), Papua New Guinea on January 27 at an unknown depth.
  • A magnitude 6.0 aftershock struck north of New Ireland (island), Papua New Guinea on January 27 at an unknown depth.

    • February

  • A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Andreanof Islands, Alaska on February 2 at a depth of 202.1 km.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Cook Strait, New Zealand on February 9 at a depth of 170.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Samoa on February 10 at an unknown depth.
  • A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck south of the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on February 13 at a depth of 15.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Michoacan, Mexico on February 14 at an unknown depth.
  • A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck southern Xinjiang Province, China on February 23 at a depth of 10.0 km. Twenty-one people were killed, 17 more hurt, and 1,010 homes collapsed.

    • March

  • A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on March 4 at a depth of 228.7 km. Some damage was caused.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea on March 16 at a depth of 35.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea on March 17 at a depth of 55.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of northern California on March 24 at a depth of 15.0 km.
  • A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck north of Halmahera, Indonesia on March 27 at a depth of 60.0 km.

    • April

  • A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Sea of Japan on April 5 at a depth of 574.5 km.
  • A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck southeast of Olympia, Washington on April 13 at a depth of 50.0 km. Eight people died and property damage of $25 million (1949 rate) was caused.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Samoa on April 18 at a depth of 60.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands, Russia on April 19 at an unknown depth.
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Araucania Region, Chile on April 20 at a depth of 57.7 km. Fifty-seven people were killed and some damage was caused.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Flores Sea, Indonesia on April 23 at a depth of 20.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Hormozgan Province, Iran on April 24 at a depth of 100.0 km. The quake struck northeast of Bandar Abbas. Major damage was caused.
  • A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Tarapaca Region, Chile on April 25 at a depth of 101.1 km.
  • A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Mindanao, Philippines on April 30 at a depth of 127.0 km.

    • May

  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands, Russia on May 3 at a depth of 138.8 km.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Tarapaca Region, Chile on May 8 at a depth of 119.3 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck northern Sumatra, Indonesia on May 9 at a depth of 50.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on May 21 at a depth of 40.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on May 23 at a depth of 160.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Michoacan, Mexico on May 24 at a depth of 100.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Potosi Department, Bolivia on May 30 at a depth of 97.7 km.

    • June

  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina on June 12 at a depth of 596.6 km.
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina on June 12 at a depth of 585.0 km. This came 3 minutes after the previous event and is an example of a doublet earthquake.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Vanuatu on June 23 at a depth of 180.7 km.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Sunda Strait, Indonesia on June 24 at a depth of 60.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea, Indonesia on June 26 at an unknown depth.

    • July

  • A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Northern Mariana Islands on July 2 at a depth of 15.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck under Lake Atitlan, Guatemala on July 8 at a depth of 100.0 km.
  • A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the Districts of Republican Subordination, Tajikistan on July 10 at a depth of 20.0 km. The quake triggered a series of landslides which contributed to the deaths of 3,500 people. Many homes were destroyed. Large aftershocks followed.
  • A magnitude 6.7 aftershock struck the Districts of Republican Subordination, Tajikistan on July 10 at a depth of 20.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.9 aftershock struck the Districts of Republican Subordination, Tajikistan on July 10 at a depth of 20.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Arequipa Region, Peru on July 21 at a depth of 65.0 km.
  • A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Vanuatu on July 23 at a depth of 145.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Izmir Province, Turkey on July 23 at a depth of 15.0 km. Seven people died and 435 were hurt. 534 homes were destroyed with a further 5,501 sustaining damage.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Northern Mariana Islands on July 25 at a depth of 210.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on July 27 at a depth of 25.0 km.

    • August

  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Tungurahua Province, Ecuador on August 5 at a depth of 15.0 km. Six-thousand lives were lost and property damage costs were around $7.5 million (1949 rate).
  • A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Tonga on August 6 at a depth of 75.1 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck southeast of Hokkaido, Japan on August 17 at a depth of 96.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Bingol Province, Turkey on August 17 at a depth of 15.0 km. Three-hundred and twenty people died and major damage was caused.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Chiriqui Province, Panama on August 18 at an unknown depth.
  • A magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck western Haida Gwaii, Canada on August 22 at a depth of 10.0 km. This was one of the largest quakes in Canadian history.
  • A magnitude 6.3 aftershock struck central Haida Gwaii, Canada on August 23 at a depth of 10.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Andreanof Islands, Alaska on August 25 at a depth of 80.0 km.

    • September

  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck northern Luzon, Philippines on September 5 at a depth of 80.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea, Indonesia on September 14 at a depth of 15.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck southwest of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea on September 25 at an unknown depth.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska on September 27 at a depth of 15.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck south of Fiji on September 30 at an unknown depth.

    • October

  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo on October 1 at a depth of 35.0 km.
  • A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck west of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea on October 19 at a depth of 90.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck southeast of New Ireland (island), Papua New Guinea on October 20 at a depth of 96.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the southeast coast of Alaska on October 31 at a depth of 35.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck southeast of New Ireland (island), Papua New Guinea on October 31 at a depth of 87.4 km.

    • November

  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands, Russia on November 3 at a depth of 145.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Vanuatu on November 7 at a depth of 35.0 km.
  • A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China on November 13 at an unknown depth. At least 51 people died and some damage was caused.
  • An earthquake struck Terminal Island, California on November 17. The magnitude and depth were unknown. Damage to oil wells was reported in the area costing $9 million (1949 rate).
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Gulf of California, Mexico on November 20 at a depth of 10.0 km.
  • A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on November 22 at a depth of 205.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Tonga on November 27 at a depth of 15.0 km.

    • December

  • A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region, Chile on December 17 at a depth of 10.0 km. This was an unusually large quake for this part of Chile. One person was killed and some damage was caused.
  • A magnitude 7.3 aftershock struck the Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region, Chile on December 17 at a depth of 10.0 km. Three more people were killed and some further damage was caused.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on December 18 at a depth of 185.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia on December 21 at a depth of 611.3 km.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Chiapas, Mexico on December 22 at a depth of 65.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Colima, Mexico on December 25 at an unknown depth.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Totigi Prefecture, Honshu, Japan on December 25 at a depth of 10.0 km.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Totigi Prefecture, Honshu, Japan on December 25 at a depth of 10.0 km. This came just seven minutes after the previous event and is an example of a doublet earthquake.
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Fiji on December 26 at a depth of 15.0 km.
  • A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Luzon, Philippines on December 29 at a depth of 15.0 km. Sixteen people were killed and some homes were damaged or destroyed.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Fiji on December 29 at a depth of 160.0 km.

    • References

    List of earthquakes in 1949 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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