List of earthquakes in 1916

This is a list of earthquakes in 1916. 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. Remarkably despite the large number of 7.0+ events the death toll for the year was only 181. Japan displayed a large number of events and there were clusters of quakes in parts of Latin America.

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	Depth (km)	Date
1	180	7.2	Changhua County, Taiwan	5.0	August 28

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	Depth (km)	Date
1	7.9	0	east of New Britain, Papua New Guinea	35.0	January 1
2	7.7	0	Papua (province), Indonesia	35.0	January 13
3	7.4	0	southeast of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan	0.0	February 1
3	7.4	0	Fox Islands, Alaska	170.0	April 18
3	7.4	0	Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina	600.0	June 21
4	7.3	0	east of the Kuril Islands, Russia	15.0	October 31
5	7.2	0	off the west coast of Nicaragua	15.0	February 27
5	7.2	0	southern Indian Ocean	0.0	April 7
5	7.2	0	Rio San Juan Department, Nicaragua	0.0	April 24
5	7.2	180	Changhua County, Taiwan	5.0	August 28
6	7.1	0	Papua (province), Indonesia	25.0	January 13
6	7.1	0	Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica	0.0	April 26
6	7.1	0	Fiji	600.0	July 8
6	7.1	0	East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea	0.0	August 3
6	7.1	0	south of Java, Indonesia	100.0	September 11
6	7.1	0	off southeast coast of Honshu, Japan	35.0	September 15
6	7.1	0	Ayacucho Region, Peru	0.0	October 3
7	7.0	0	Sivas Province, Turkey	15.0	January 24
7	7.0	0	Rat Islands, Alaska	15.0	February 6
7	7.0	0	Izu Islands, Japan	35.0	April 21
7	7.0	0	Mona Passage	80.0	April 24
7	7.0	0	Veracruz, Mexico	150.0	June 2
7	7.0	0	northern Sumatra, Indonesia	100.0	July 27
7	7.0	0	Potosi Department, Bolivia	180.0	August 25
7	7.0	0	Mahakali Zone, Nepal	20.0	August 28

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January–March

• A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck east of the New Britain, Papua New Guinea on January 1 at a depth of 35.0 km. Some homes were destroyed or damage and a tsunami was generated.
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck northwestern Papua (province), Indonesia on January 13 at a depth of 25.0 km. Just over two hours later a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck further inland to the southeast at a depth of 35.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Sivas Province, Turkey on January 24 at a depth of 15.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northeast of Hokkaido, Japan on January 25 at a depth of 250.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Alba County, Romania on January 26 at a depth of 35.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck southeast of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan on February 1 at a depth of 0.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands, Russia on February 6 at a depth of 35.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Rat Islands, Alaska on February 6 at a depth of 15.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the west coast of Nicaragua on February 27 at a depth of 15.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck southeast of Hokkaido, Japan on March 18 at a depth of 35.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan on March 25 at a depth of 0.0 km.

April–June

• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the southern Indian Ocean on April 7 at a depth of 0.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Izu Islands, Japan on April 14 at a depth of 35.0 km. This was a foreshock to a larger event on April 21.
• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the Fox Islands (Alaska) on April 18 at a depth of 170.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Izu Islands, Japan on April 21 at a depth of 35.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on April 21 at a depth of 220.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Mona Passage nearer to the Dominican Republic side on April 24 at a depth of 80.0 km. Some damage was reported on Puerto Rico.
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Rio San Juan Department, Nicaragua on April 24 at a depth of 0.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica on April 26 at a depth of 0.0 km. Some damage was caused with costs amounting to $25,000 (1916 rate).
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Veracruz, Mexico on June 2 at a depth of 150.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina on June 21 at a depth of 600.0 km.

July–September

• A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck just northeast of Stromboli, Italy on July 3 at an unknown depth. An eruption of the volcano was in progress at the time. Some damage was caused to homes in the area.
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Fiji on July 8 at a depth of 600.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on July 16 at a depth of 35.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck northern Sumatra, Indonesia on July 27 at a depth of 100.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea on August 3 at a depth of 0.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Potosi Department, Bolivia on August 25 at a depth of 180.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on August 27 at a depth of 35.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Mahakali Zone, Nepal on August 28 at a depth of 20.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Changhua County, Taiwan on August 28 at a depth of 5.0 km. This was part of a series of earthquakes which struck Taiwan from August 1916 through to January 1917. This quake came within 50 minutes of the Nepal event. There is disputes over the death toll. Some sources put the total deaths at 16 however another puts it as high as 180. Six-hundred and fourteen homes were destroyed.
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck south of Java, Indonesia on September 11 at a depth of 100.0 km. At least 340 homes were destroyed.
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck off the southeast coast of Honshu, Japan on September 15 at a depth of 35.0 km.

October–December

• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Ayacucho Region, Peru on October 3 at a depth of 0.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the southern end of the Sea of Okhotsk on October 28 at a depth of 100.0 km.
• A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck to the east of the Kuril Islands, Russia on October 31 at a depth of 15.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Nantou County, Taiwan on November 14 at an unknown depth. One person was killed, 20 were injured and 97 homes were destroyed. This was part of a series of earthquakes that struck this part of Taiwan in the latter part of 1916 and into the start of 1917.
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on November 24 at a depth of 35.0 km.
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Sanchez Ramirez Province, Dominican Republic on November 30 at a depth of 0.0 km.