List of earthquakes in 2008

Earthquakes in 2008

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 2008 4.0−5.9 magnitude 6.0−6.9 magnitude 7.0−7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Sichuan earthquake 7.9 Mw
Deadliest	Sichuan earthquake 7.9 Mw (87,587 deaths)
Total fatalities	88,011
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	12
6.0−6.9	168
5.0−5.9	1768
← 2007 2009 →

Earthquakes in 2008 resulted in about 88,011 fatalities. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake was the deadliest with 87,587 fatalities, and also the largest at 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale. Other significant earthquakes struck Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Russia, Japan, Colombia, and other parts of China.

Compared to other years

Number of Earthquakes Worldwide for 1999–2009

[]

Magnitude Ranging Between	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
8−9.9	0	1	1	0	1	2	1	2	4	0	1
7−7.9	18	14	15	13	14	14	10	9	14	12	16
6−6.9	118	146	121	127	140	141	140	142	178	168	144
5−5.9	1055	1344	1224	1201	1203	1515	1693	1712	2074	1768	1896
Total	1191	1505	1361	1341	1358	1672	1844	1865	2270	1948	2057

Note that an increase in detected earthquake numbers does not necessarily represent an increase in earthquakes per se. Population increase, habitation spread, and advances in earthquake detection technology all contribute to higher earthquake numbers being recorded over time. USGS's Earthquake Myths has more information.

For exact dates and live earthquakes please visit USGS's Global Earthquake Search Page and Real-time Earthquake Map or EMSC's Real-time Seismicity.

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	MMI	Location	Date
1	87,587	7.9	IX	Sichuan	May 12
2	215	6.4	VIII	Balochistan	October 29
3	75	6.6	VII	Nuna	October 5
4	44[1]	5.9	VI	Lake Kivu	February 3
5	43[1]	6.1	VI	Panzhihua	August 30
6	23[2]	6.9	IX	Tōhoku region	June 13
7	13	5.8	VI	Chechnya	October 11
8	11	5.9	VI	El Calvario	May 24
9	10	6.4	VII	Damxung	October 6

• Note: At least 10 dead

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	Date
1	7.9	87,587	Sichuan	May 12
2	7.7	0	Sea of Okhotsk	July 5
3	7.4	3	Simeulue	February 20
3	7.4	6	Sulawesi	November 16
5	7.3	0	Sea of Okhotsk	May 12
5	7.3	0	Loyalty Islands	April 9
7	7.2	0	Sumatra	February 25
7	7.2	0	Xinjiang	March 20
9	7.1	0	Macquarie Island	April 12
10	7.0	0	South Sandwich Islands	June 30
10	7.0	0	Honshu, Japan	July 19
10	7.0	0	Kermadec Islands	September 29

• Note: At least 7.0 Magnitude

By month

January

January

Strongest magnitude	6.6 Canada
Total fatalities	2
Number by magnitude
6.0−6.9	14
5.0−5.9	110

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on January 1.^[3]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on January 4.^[4]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Haida Gwaii, Canada on January 5.^[5]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Haida Gwaii, Canada on January 5.^[6]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Greece on January 6.^[7]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Tibet, China on January 9.^[8]
• A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck Northern Algeria on January 9, killing 1 person.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Haida Gwaii, Canada on January 9.^[9]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the coast of Oregon on January 10.^[10]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Fiji on January 15.^[11]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea on January 20.^[12]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Tonga on January 22.^[13]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Tonga on January 22.^[14]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on January 22, killing 1 person.^[1][15]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Banda Sea on January 30.^[16]

February

February

Strongest magnitude	7.4 Indonesia
Total fatalities	49
Number by magnitude
7.0−7.9	2
6.0−6.9	18
5.0−5.9	146

• A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo on February 3, killing 44 people.^[17]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Tarapaca, Chile on February 4.^[18]
• A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck West Bengal, India on February 6, killing 1 person.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurred in the Northern Atlantic Ocean on February 8.^[19]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on February 10.^[20]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Oaxaca, Mexico on February 12.^[21]
• A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Rwanda on February 14, killing 1 person.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Southern Greece on February 14.^[22]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Svalbard on February 21.^[23]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Nevada on February 21.^[24]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the South Shetland Islands on February 23.^[25]
• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on February 20, killing 3 people.^[26]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on February 25.^[27]
• A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Lincolnshire, Great Britain on February 27, injuring 1 person.

March

March

Strongest magnitude	7.2 China
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	14
5.0−5.9	147

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Mentawai Islands Regency, Indonesia on March 3.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on March 3.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore Luzon, Philippines on March 3.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck offshore Samar, Philippines on March 3.^[29]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Vanuatu on March 12.^[30]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Vanuatu on March 12.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Prince Edward Islands on March 13.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore the Ogasawara Islands on March 14.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore Simeulue, Indonesia on March 15.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on March 18.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquakes struck offshore Mindanao, Philippines on March 20.^[28]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Xinjiang, China on March 20.^[31]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands on March 22.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Tarapacá Region, Chile on March 24.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck offshore Simeulue, Indonesia on March 29.^[28]

April

April

Strongest magnitude	7.3 Vanuatu
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
7.0−7.9	2
6.0−6.9	19
5.0−5.9	163

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 9.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 9.^[28]
• A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 9.^[32]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 9.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 11.^[28]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Macquarie Island on April 12.^[33]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on April 14.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck offshore Guatemala on April 15.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands on April 15.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands on April 16.^[34]
• A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Illinois on April 18.
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Fiji on April 18.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Maluku, Indonesia on April 19.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 19.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Maluku, Indonesia on April 19.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Taiwan on April 23.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred in the south Atlantic Ocean on April 24.^[28]
• A swarm of earthquakes, the largest being a magnitude 4.7 on April 26, struck Nevada from April 15 to April 26.
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Auckland Island on April 26.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on April 28.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 28.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 28.^[28]

May

May

Strongest magnitude	7.9 China
Total fatalities	87,606
Number by magnitude
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	12
5.0−5.9	175

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands on May 2.^[35]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Japan on May 7, injuring 6 people.^[36][37]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Guam on May 9.^[38]
• A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on May 12, killing 69,195 people and leaving 18,392 people missing, and causing widespread damage.
• A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Colombia on May 24, killing 11 people.
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on May 25, killing 8 people.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Iceland on May 29, injuring 30 people.

June

June

Strongest magnitude	7.0 South Sandwich Islands
Total fatalities	23
Number by magnitude
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	15
5.0−5.9	166

• A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Northern Algeria on June 6, killing one person.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Greece on June 8, killing 2 people.^[39]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Honshu, Japan on June 13, killing 13 people.^[36][40]
• A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Sichuan, China, killing 2 people.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Tonga on June 26.^[41]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Andaman Islands on June 27.^[42]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on June 30.^[43]

July

July

Strongest magnitude	7.7 Russia
Total fatalities	4
Number by magnitude
7.0−7.9	2
6.0−6.9	12
5.0−5.9	124

• A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Kamchatka on July 5.^[44]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Southern Peru on July 8, killing one person.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Greece on July 15, killing one person.
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck offshore Eastern Honshu, Japan on July 19.^[45]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands on July 19.^[46]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Eastern Honshu, Japan on July 23, killing one person.^[1]
• A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on July 24, killing one person.^[1]
• A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Southern California on July 29.

August

August

Strongest magnitude	6.7 China
Total fatalities	54
Number by magnitude
6.0−6.9	16
5.0−5.9	153

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Banda Sea on August 4.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on August 5, killing 4 people.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck offshore Antarctica on August 9.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck offshore Antarctica on August 9.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Andaman Islands on August 10.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred in the South Atlantic Ocean on August 11.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Philippines on August 15.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Samoa on August 19.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Yingjiang, China on August 21, killing 5 people.
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore Rodrigues, Mauritius on August 22.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Tibet, China on August 25.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Peru on August 26.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Irkutsk, Russia on August 27.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred in the South Atlantic Ocean on August 28.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on August 31.^[28]
• A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on August 30, killing 43 people.
• A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on August 31, killing 2 people.^[1]

September

September

Strongest magnitude	7.0 New Zealand
Total fatalities	10
Number by magnitude
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	11
5.0−5.9	138

• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Vanuatu on September 8.^[47]
• A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Southern Sumatra, Indonesia on September 9.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Iran on September 10, killing 7 people.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Halmahera, Indonesia on September 11.^[48]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Hokkaido, Japan on September 11.^[49]
• A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Maharashtra, India on September 16, killing 1 person.^[1]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on September 29.^[50]

October

October

• Nura (6.6, October 5)
• Damxung (6.4, October 6)
• Chechnya (5.8, October 11)
• Balochistan (6.4, October 29)

November

November

• Sulawesi (7.3, November 16)

December

December

• Skåne County (4.3, December 16)
• Papudo (6.8, December 18)
• Parma (5.2, December 23)

See also

• List of 21st-century earthquakes

References

1. "Deaths from Earthquakes in 2008". Earthquake.usgs.gov. 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
2. Archived December 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
3. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
4. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
5. "Magnitude 6.6 - QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
6. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
7. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
8. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
9. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
10. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
11. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
12. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
13. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
14. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
15. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
16. "National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC)". Neic.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
17. "Magnitude 5.9 - LAC KIVU REGION, DEM. REP. OF THE CONGO". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
18. "Magnitude 6.3 - TARAPACA, CHILE". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
19. "Magnitude 6.9 - NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
20. "Magnitude 6.6 - SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
21. "Magnitude 6.5 - OAXACA, MEXICO". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
22. "Magnitude 6.9 - SOUTHERN GREECE". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
23. Aftenposten: Kraftigste jordskjelvet i Norge i moderne tid, 21. February 2008
24. "Magnitude 6.0 - NEVADA". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
25. "Magnitude 6.8 - SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
26. "Magnitude 7.4 - SIMEULUE, INDONESIA". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
27. "Magnitude 7.2 - KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI REGION, INDONESIA". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
28. "Search Earthquake Archives". Earthquake.usgs.gov. 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
29. "Magnitude 6.9 - PHILIPPINE ISLANDS REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
30. "Magnitude 6.4 - VANUATU". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
31. "Magnitude 7.2 - XINJIANG-XIZANG BORDER REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
32. "Magnitude 7.3 - LOYALTY ISLANDS". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
33. "Magnitude 7.1 - MACQUARIE ISLAND REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
34. "Magnitude 6.6 - ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
35. "Magnitude 6.6 - ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
36. https://web.archive.org/web/20121214103931/http://www.seisvol.kishou.go.jp/eq/higai/higai1996-new.html. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)
37. "Magnitude 6.8 - NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
38. "Magnitude 6.7 - GUAM REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
39. "Magnitude 6.4 - GREECE". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
40. "Magnitude 6.9 - EASTERN HONSHU, JAPAN". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
41. "Magnitude 6.1 - TONGA". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
42. "Magnitude 6.6 - ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
43. "Magnitude 7.0 - SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
44. "Magnitude 7.7 - SEA OF OKHOTSK". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
45. "Magnitude 7.0 - OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
46. "Magnitude 6.6 - SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
47. "Magnitude 6.9 - VANUATU". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
48. "Magnitude 6.6 - HALMAHERA, INDONESIA". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
49. "Magnitude 6.8 - HOKKAIDO, JAPAN REGION". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
50. "Magnitude 7.0 - KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-01.