This is a list of earthquakes in 1940 . 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. Overall, with 13 magnitude 7.0+ events worldwide, this was a fairly busy year. The death toll was substantially lower than 1939. The most significant event in terms of lives lost was in Romania in November with 1,000 deaths. Other quakes in China and Peru resulted in significant fatalities.
Earthquakes in 1940 Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1940
Strongest magnitude Peru , Lima Region (Magnitude 8.2) May 24Deadliest Romania , Vrancea County (Magnitude 7.8) November 10 1,000 deathsTotal fatalities 1,448 9.0+ 0
Overall
By death toll Note : At least 10 casualties
By magnitude Rank Magnitude Death toll Location MMI Depth (km) Date 1 8.2 179 Peru , Lima Region ( ) 45.0 May 24 2 7.8 1,000 Romania , Vrancea County ( ) 90.0 November 10 3 7.7 0 United States , Northern Mariana Islands ( ) 15.0 December 28 = 4 7.5 0 United States , Northern Mariana Islands ( ) 15.0 January 17 = 4 7.5 10 Japan , eastern Sea of Japan ( ) 15.0 August 1 5 7.4 0 United States , Rat Islands , Alaska ( ) 65.0 July 14 6 7.3 0 China , Heilongjiang Province ( ) 575.0 July 10 7 7.2 0 France , southeast of the Loyalty Islands , New Caledonia ( ) 180.0 January 6 8 7.1 0 Bolivia , La Paz Department (Bolivia) ( ) 220.0 December 22 = 9 7.0 0 New Hebrides ( ) 210.0 February 20 = 9 7.0 0 Japan , southern Sea of Japan ( ) 10.0 August 13 = 9 7.0 0 Philippines , southeast of Mindanao ( ) 15.0 October 7 = 9 7.0 0 Chile , Chiloé Island , Los Lagos Region ( ) 35.0 October 11
Note : At least 7.0 magnitude
Notable events
January January Strongest magnitude 7.5 Mw United States Deadliest 6.0 Mw China 51+ deaths Total fatalities 51+ 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 2 6.0–6.9 2
February February Strongest magnitude 7.0 Mw New Hebrides Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 1 6.0–6.9 6
March March Strongest magnitude 6.6 Mw Philippines Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 0 6.0–6.9 4
April April Strongest magnitude 6.9 Mw United States 2 events Deadliest 6.0 Mw China 181 deaths Total fatalities 181 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 0 6.0–6.9 9
Date Country and location Mw Depth (km) MMI Notes Casualties Dead Injured 1 [18] Dutch East Indies , Papua (province) 6.6 35.0 5 [19] Japan , Volcano Islands 6.5 220.0 6 [20] [21] China , Yunnan Province 6.0 35.0 VIII 181 people died and another 475 were injured. 11,556 homes were destroyed. 181 475 8 [22] Chile , Valparaíso Region 6.0 35.0 16 [23] United States , Near Islands , Alaska 6.9 30.0 Doublet earthquake .16 [24] United States , Near Islands , Alaska 6.9 30.0 20 [25] Japan , Shiga Prefecture , Honshu 6.0 400.0 27 [26] New Hebrides , Espiritu Santo 6.5 35.0 Doublet earthquake .27 [27] New Hebrides , Espiritu Santo 6.5 35.0
May May Strongest magnitude 8.2 Mw Peru Deadliest 8.2 Mw Peru 179 deaths Total fatalities 204 8.0–8.9 1 7.0–7.9 0 6.0–6.9 13
Date Country and location Mw Depth (km) MMI Notes Casualties Dead Injured 1 [28] Argentina , Chaco Province 6.2 580.0 4 [29] Iran , Razavi Khorasan province 6.3 15.0 5 [30] Peru , off the coast of northern6.0 35.0 7 [31] [32] Georgian SSR , Imereti 6.5 50.0 16 deaths were caused and some damage was reported. 16 11 [33] British Burma , Sagaing Region 6.5 80.0 19 [34] [35] United States , southern California 6.9 6.0 X 9 people died in the 1940 El Centro earthquake . Major damage was caused in the area. Costs were $33 million (1940 rate). 9 19 [36] Russian SFSR , Sea of Okhotsk 6.6 575.0 19 [37] Portuguese Mozambique , Gaza Province 6.2 35.0 21 [38] Fiji 6.5 350.0 24 [39] [40] Peru , Lima Region 8.2 45.0 X 1940 Lima earthquake : 179 people were killed and 3,500 were injured. Many homes were destroyed.179 3,500 24 [41] Peru , Lima Region 6.6 45.0 Aftershock. 27 [42] Afghanistan , Badakhshan Province 6.2 240.0 28 [43] Dutch East Indies , Papua (province) 6.6 35.0 29 [44] Canada , Northwest Territories 6.2 35.0
June
July July Strongest magnitude 7.4 Mw United States Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 2 6.0–6.9 4
August August Strongest magnitude 7.5 Mw Japan Deadliest 7.5 Mw Japan 10 deaths Total fatalities 10 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 2 6.0–6.9 4 5.0–5.9 1
September September Strongest magnitude 6.8 Mw Philippines Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 0 6.0–6.9 10
Date Country and location Mw Depth (km) MMI Notes Casualties Dead Injured 12 [71] Dutch East Indies , Celebes Sea 6.5 160.0 12 [72] New Guinea , southeast New Ireland (island) 6.6 75.5 18 [73] Chile , Antofagasta Region 6.5 110.0 19 [74] Free France , Loyalty Islands , New Caledonia 6.5 15.0 21 [75] Afghanistan , Badakhshan Province 6.2 250.0 22 [76] Philippines , Mindanao 6.8 640.0 23 [77] Argentina , Salta Province 6.5 550.0 24 [78] Brazil , Acre (state) 6.0 600.0 26 [79] British Solomon Islands , Santa Cruz Islands 6.6 135.0 29 [80] Argentina , Mendoza Province 6.2 110.0
October October Strongest magnitude 7.0 Mw 2 events Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 2 6.0–6.9 11
Date Country and location Mw Depth (km) MMI Notes Casualties Dead Injured 1 [81] Chile , Atacama Region 6.5 45.0 3 [82] Chile , Tarapacá Region 6.2 110.0 Foreshock. 4 [83] China , Xizang Province 6.0 35.0 4 [84] Chile , off the coast of Tarapacá Region 6.9 35.0 VII 5 [85] Costa Rica , Puntarenas Province 6.2 35.0 6 [86] Chile , off the coast of Tarapacá Region 6.4 15.0 Aftershock. 7 [87] Philippines , southeast of Mindanao 7.0 15.0 11 [88] [89] United States , Kenai Peninsula , Alaska 6.0 0.0 IV 11 [90] Chile , Chiloé Island , Los Lagos Region 7.0 35.0 VII 22 [91] Romania , Vrancea County 6.5 150.0 23 [92] Ecuador , Pastaza Province 6.0 140.0 24 [93] Chile , O'Higgins Region 6.6 45.0 27 [94] Costa Rica , Puntarenas Province 6.6 35.0
November November Strongest magnitude 7.8 Mw Romania Deadliest 7.8 Mw Romania 1,000 deaths Total fatalities 1,000 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 1 6.0–6.9 3
December December Strongest magnitude 7.7 Mw United States Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 2 6.0–6.9 5
References