List of earthquakes in 1906

Earthquakes in 1906

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1906 4.0−5.9 magnitude 6.0−6.9 magnitude 7.0−7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	2 events reached magnitude 8.3
Deadliest	Valparaiso Region, Chile, August 17 (Magnitude 8.2) 4,000 deaths
Total fatalities	7,507
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
8.0−8.9	4
7.0−7.9	19
6.0−6.9	15
5.0−5.9	3
← 1905 1907 →

This is a list of earthquakes in 1906. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Exceptions to this are earthquakes which 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 saw a number of historic earthquakes of which their significance was felt for many years after.

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	Depth (km)	Date
7000100000000000000♠1	7003400000000000000♠4,000	7000820009999999999♠8.2	Valparaiso Region, Chile	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-08-17-0000August 17
7000200000000000000♠2	7003125800000000000♠1,258	7000680000000000000♠6.8	Chiayi County, Taiwan	7000500000000000000♠5.0	000000002016-03-16-0000March 16
7000300000000000000♠3	7003100000000000000♠1,000	7000830000000000000♠8.3	Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador	7001200000000000000♠20.0	000000002016-01-31-0000January 31
7000400000000000000♠4	7002700000000000000♠700	7000770000000000000♠7.7	San Pablo Bay, California	7001100000000000000♠10.0	000000002016-04-18-0000April 18
7000500000000000000♠5	7002280000000000000♠280	7000780000000000000♠7.8	northern Xinjiang Province, China	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-12-22-0000December 22
7000600000000000000♠6	7002101000000000000♠101	7000550000000000000♠5.5	Yunnan Province, China	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-01-07-0000January 7
7000600000000000000♠6	7002101000000000000♠101	7000650000000000000♠6.5	Fujian Province, China	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-03-28-0000March 28
7000700000000000000♠7	7001510000000000000♠51	7000800000000000000♠8.0	Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-09-14-0000September 14
7000800000000000000♠8	7001150000000000000♠15	7000710000000000000♠7.1	Chiayi County, Taiwan	7000500000000000000♠5.0	000000002016-04-13-0000April 13

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	Depth (km)	Date
7000100000000000000♠1	7000830000000000000♠8.3	7003100000000000000♠1,000	Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador	7001200000000000000♠20.0	000000002016-01-31-0000January 31
7000100000000000000♠1	7000830000000000000♠8.3	5000000000000000000♠0	Rat Islands, Alaska	7002110000000000000♠110.0	000000002016-08-17-0000August 17
7000200000000000000♠2	7000820009999999999♠8.2	7003400000000000000♠4,000	Valparaiso Region, Chile	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-08-17-0000August 17
7000300000000000000♠3	7000800000000000000♠8.0	7001510000000000000♠51	Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-09-14-0000September 14
7000400000000000000♠4	7000780000000000000♠7.8	7002280000000000000♠280	northern Xinjiang Province, China	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-12-22-0000December 22
7000500000000000000♠5	7000770000000000000♠7.7	7002700000000000000♠700	San Pablo Bay, California	7001100000000000000♠10.0	000000002016-04-18-0000April 18
7000600000000000000♠6	7000740000000000000♠7.4	5000000000000000000♠0	off south coast of Honshu, Japan	7002300000000000000♠300.0	000000002016-01-21-0000January 21
7000700000000000000♠7	7000720000000000000♠7.2	5000000000000000000♠0	Revilla Gigedo Islands, Mexico	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-04-10-0000April 10
7000700000000000000♠7	7000720000000000000♠7.2	5000000000000000000♠0	Bismarck Sea	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-10-02-0000October 2
7000700000000000000♠7	7000720000000000000♠7.2	5000000000000000000♠0	northwest of Australia	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-11-19-0000November 19
7000700000000000000♠7	7000720000000000000♠7.2	5000000000000000000♠0	north of Martinique	7002100000000000000♠100.0	000000002016-12-03-0000December 3
7000700000000000000♠7	7000720000000000000♠7.2	5000000000000000000♠0	Tonga	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-12-19-0000December 19
7000700000000000000♠7	7000720000000000000♠7.2		Kodiak Island, Alaska	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-12-23-0000December 23
7000800000000000000♠8	7000710000000000000♠7.1	5000000000000000000♠0	Solomon Islands	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-02-19-0000February 19
7000800000000000000♠8	7000710000000000000♠7.1	7001150000000000000♠15	Chiayi County, Taiwan	7000500000000000000♠5.0	000000002016-04-13-0000April 13
7000800000000000000♠8	7000710000000000000♠7.1	5000000000000000000♠0	Ninigo Islands, Papua New Guinea	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-06-01-0000June 1
7000800000000000000♠8	7000710000000000000♠7.1	5000000000000000000♠0	Bay of Bengal	7001600000000000000♠60.0	000000002016-06-24-0000June 24
7000800000000000000♠8	7000710000000000000♠7.1	5000000000000000000♠0	Tarapaca Region, Chile	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-08-30-0000August 30
7000800000000000000♠8	7000710000000000000♠7.1	5000000000000000000♠0	Babuyan Islands, Philippines	7001600000000000000♠60.0	000000002016-10-17-0000October 17
7000900000000000000♠9	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	Bismarck Sea	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-08-26-0000August 26
7000900000000000000♠9	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	southeast of Honshu, Japan	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-09-07-0000September 7
7000900000000000000♠9	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	Balkh Province, Afghanistan	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-10-24-0000October 24
7000900000000000000♠9	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	off coast of Tarapaca Region, Chile	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-12-26-0000December 26

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January–March

• A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China on January 7 at an unknown depth. Many (at least 101) deaths were reported as well as some damage in the province.^[1]
• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the south coast of Honshu, Japan on January 21 at a depth of 300.0 km.^[2]
• A magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador on January 31 at a depth of 20.0 km.^[3] The quake resulted in at least 1,000 deaths, major damage and a tsunami.^[4][5]
• An earthquake struck the western side of Saint Lucia on February 16. The magnitude and depth were unknown. Some damage was reported in the area.^[6]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on February 19 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[7]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Xinjiang Province, China on March 2 at a depth of 20.0 km.^[8]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck north of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador on March 3 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[9]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Chiayi County, Taiwan on March 16 at a depth of 5.0 km.^[10] 1,258 people were killed with a further 145 injured. 6,769 homes were destroyed in the area.^[11]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Fujian Province, China on March 28 at an unknown depth. There were many (at least 101) deaths, some (at least 51 injuries) and a moderate amount of damage.^[12]

April–June

• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the Revilla Gigedo Islands, Mexico on April 10 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[13]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Chiayi County, Taiwan on April 13 at a depth of 5.0 km.^[14] There was 15 people killed, 84 further injured and the destruction of 1,794 homes.^[15]
• A magnitude 6.9 aftershock struck Chiayi County, Taiwan on April 13 at a depth of 5.0 km.^[16] This being a similar magnitude to the main shock means that it could be classed as a doublet earthquake.
• A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the San Pablo Bay, California on April 18 at a depth of 10.0 km.^[17] This event was the worst in California's history in terms of the death toll which ranges from 700 to an estimated 3,000. The fire which followed contributed to the death and damage count. Approximately 28,188 homes were destroyed and damage costs came to approx $400–530 million. No other earthquake has since surpassed this event in terms of magnitude in California as of November 2015.^[18][19][20]
• A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China in May at an unknown depth. One person was killed and many homes were destroyed in the province.^[21]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Ninigo Islands, Papua New Guinea on June 1 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[22]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Batanes Islands, Philippines on June 19 at a depth of 60.0 km.^[23]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Bay of Bengal on June 24 at a depth of 60.0 km.^[24]

July–September

• A magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck the Rat Islands, Alaska on August 17 at a depth of 110.0 km. This earthquake came only 30 minutes before the next event in Chile which is an extremely short timespan for two events of this magnitude being so far away from each other.^[25]
• A magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck Valparaiso Region, Chile on August 17 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[26] At least 4,000 people were killed and severe damage was caused in the Valparaiso area. Damage costs were a minimum of $100 million (1906 rate).^[27]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Valparaiso Region, Chile on August 19 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Oromia Region, Ethiopia on August 25 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[29]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Bismarck Sea on August 26 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[30]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Tarapaca Region, Chile on August 30 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[31]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Sagaing Region of Myanmar on August 31 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[32]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck southeast of Honshu, Japan on September 7 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[33]
• A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea on September 14 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[34] There was at least 51 deaths and major damage. A tsunami was observed.^[35]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Bismarck Sea on September 17 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[36]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Loreto Region, Peru on September 28 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[37]

October–December

• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the Bismarck Sea on October 2 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[38] A tsunami and some damage were reported.^[39]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Sea of Okhotsk on October 8 at a depth of 200.0 km.^[40]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Babuyan Islands, Philippines on October 17 at a depth of 60.0 km.^[41]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Balkh Province, Afghanistan on October 24 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[42]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Balkh Province, Afghanistan on October 24 at a depth of 32.0 km.^[43]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia on November 14 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[44]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck in the Indian Ocean to the northwest of Australia on November 19 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[45]
• A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Volta Region, Ghana on November 20 at an unknown depth. Many homes were destroyed in the area.^[46]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck north of Martinique on December 3 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[47]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Tonga on December 18 at a depth of 0.0 km. This was possibly a foreshock to the following event.^[48]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Tonga on December 19 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[49]
• A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck northern Xinjiang Province, China on December 22 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[50] Two-hundred and eighty people died and more than 2,000 homes were destroyed.^[51]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Kodiak Island, Alaska on December 23 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[52]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Tarapaca Region, Chile on December 26 at a depth of 0.0 km.^[53]

References