List of earthquakes in 1908

This is a list of earthquakes in 1908. 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. One of the early 20th Century's worst earthquakes happened this year in Italy.

Earthquakes in 1908

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1908 4.0−5.9 magnitude 6.0−6.9 magnitude 7.0−7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Peru, off the coast of, (Magnitude 8.0) December 12
Deadliest	Kingdom of Italy Sicily, (Magnitude 7.0) December 28 80,000 deaths
Total fatalities	80,000
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
8.0−8.9	1
7.0−7.9	10
6.0−6.9	18
5.0−5.9	0
← 1907 1909 →

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	80,000	7.0	Kingdom of Italy, Sicily	XI (Extreme)	15.0	December 28

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	8.0	0	Peru, off the coast of	( )	60.0	December 12
2	7.7	0	Mexico, Guerrero	( )	80.0	March 26
3	7.5	0	Indonesia, off west coast of Sumatra	( )	130.0	February 6
4	7.2	0	Scotia Sea	( )	0.0	August 17
5	7.1	0	Japan, off east coast of Honshu	( )	35.0	January 15
= 6	7.0	0	Mexico, off the coast of Guerrero	( )	0.0	March 27
= 6	7.0	0	Southwest Indian Ridge	( )	0.0	April 22
= 6	7.0	0	United States, Gulf of Alaska	( )	0.0	May 15
= 6	7.0	0	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	( )	220.0	October 24
= 6	7.0	0	Myanmar, Kachin State	( )	15.0	December 12
= 6	7.0	80,000	Italy, Sicily	XI (Extreme)	15.0	December 28

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

January

Strongest magnitude	7.1 Mw  Japan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
11[1]	Taiwan, Taitung County	6.8	5.0
15[2]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	7.1	35.0

February

February

Strongest magnitude	7.5 Mw  Indonesia
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
6[3]	Indonesia, off the west coast of Sumatra	7.5	130.0
9[4]	China, western Sichuan Province	6.7	15.0
14[5]	United States, southern Alaska	6.0	0.0		Depth unknown.

March

March

Strongest magnitude	7.7 Mw  Mexico
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	2
6.0−6.9	3

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
5[6]	Philippines, Mindanao	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
12[7]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	6.5	200.0
23[8]	Indonesia, Timor Sea	6.6	0.0		Some damage was caused on Timor. Depth unknown.
26[9][10]	Mexico, Guerrero	7.7	80.0		Some damage was caused.
27[11]	Mexico, off the coast of Guerrero	7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.

April

April

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw Southwest Indian Ridge
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
16[12]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	6.6	220.0
19[13]	Russia, Sea of Japan	6.7	450.0
22[14]	Southwest Indian Ridge	7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.

May

May

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw  United States
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	3

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3[15]	Russia, Kuril Islands	6.5	35.0
5[16]	Indonesia, Celebes Sea	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
15[17]	United States, Gulf of Alaska	7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.
17[18]	Greece, south of Crete	6.6	100.0

August

August

Strongest magnitude	7.2 Mw Scotia Sea
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
17[19]	Scotia Sea	7.2	0.0		Depth unknown.
20[20]	China, western Xizang Province	6.9	15.0

September

September

Strongest magnitude	6.8 Mw  United States
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	0
6.0−6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
21[21]	United States, south of Hawaii (island)	6.8	0.0		Depth unknown.

October

October

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw  Afghanistan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	1
6.0−6.9	3

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
6[22]	Romania, Buzau County	6.6	150.0
13[23]	Mexico, Guerrero	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
23[24]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	6.9	220.0	rowspan="2"|These events can be considered a doublet earthquake.
24[25]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	7.0	220.0

November

November

Strongest magnitude	6.9 Mw 2 events
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	0
6.0−6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[26]	Indonesia, southwest of the Mentawai Islands	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
6[27]	Russia, Kuril Islands	6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.

December

December

Strongest magnitude	8.0 Mw  Peru
Deadliest	7.0 Mw  Italy 80,000 deaths
Total fatalities	80,000
Number by magnitude
8.0−8.9	1
7.0−7.9	2
6.0−6.9	0

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
12[28]	Peru, off the coast of	8.0	60.0
12[29]	Myanmar, Kachin State	7.0	15.0
28[30][31][32]	Italy, Sicily	7.0	15.0	XI	The 1908 Messina earthquake caused 80,000 deaths in total. The earthquake contributed to 78,000 of the total. A tsunami resulted in another 2,000 deaths. Damage costs were around $116 million (1908 rate).	80,000

References

1. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. January 11, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
2. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. January 15, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
3. "Significant Earthquake: SW. SUMATRA". National Geophysical Data Center. February 6, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
4. "M 6.7 - western Sichuan, China". United States Geological Survey. February 9, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
5. "Significant Earthquake: ALASKA: GULF OF ALASKA". National Geophysical Data Center. February 14, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
6. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. March 5, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
7. "On-Line Bulletin". International Seismological Centre. March 12, 1908. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
8. "Significant Earthquake: INDONESIA: TIMOR". National Geophysical Data Center. March 23, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
9. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. March 26, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
10. "Significant Earthquake: MEXICO: GUERRERO". National Geophysical Data Center. March 26, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
11. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. March 27, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
12. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 16, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
13. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 19, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
14. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 22, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
15. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. May 3, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
16. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. May 5, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
17. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. May 15, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
18. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. May 17, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
19. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. August 17, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
20. "M 6.9 - western Xizang". United States Geological Survey. August 20, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
21. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. September 21, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
22. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. October 6, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
23. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. October 13, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
24. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. October 23, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
25. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. October 24, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
26. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. November 2, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
27. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. November 6, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
28. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. December 12, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
29. "M 7.0 - Myanmar". United States Geological Survey. December 12, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
30. "M 7.0 - Sicily, Italy". United States Geological Survey. December 28, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
31. "Significant Earthquake: ITALY: MESSINA, SICILY, CALABRIA". National Geophysical Data Center. December 28, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
32. "Tsunami Event: MESSINA STRAIT, IONIAN SEA". National Geophysical Data Center. December 28, 1908. Retrieved November 18, 2015.