List of earthquakes in 2008

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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.

Earthquakes in 2008
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Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 2008
Strongest magnitude7.9 Mw, China
Deadliest7.9 Mw, China 87,587 deaths
Total fatalities88,011
Number by magnitude
9.0+0
8.0–8.91
7.0–7.912
6.0–6.9168
5.0–5.91768
← 2007
2009 →

Compared to other years

Number of Earthquakes Worldwide for 1999–2009
[Worldwide]
Magnitude Ranging Between19992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015
8−9.9 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 2 4 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1
7−7.9 18 14 15 13 14 14 10 9 13 12 16 21 19 15 17 11 18
6−6.9 118 145 121 126 140 141 140 142 178 168 144 151 204 129 125 144 124
5−5.9 1057 1335 1215 1171 1203 1515 1693 1712 2074 1768 1896 1963 2271 1412 1402 1577 1413
Total 1193 1495 1352 1310 1358 1672 1844 1865 2270 1948 2057 2136 2495 1558 1546 1733 1556

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 Website 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 Location MMI Depth (km) Date
1 87,587 7.9 China, Sichuan XI (Extreme) 19.0 May 12
2 215 6.4 Pakistan, Balochistan VIII (Severe) 10.0 October 29
3 75 6.6 Kyrgyzstan, Osh VII (Very strong) 27.6 October 5
4 44 5.9 DR Congo, Lake Kivu VIII (Severe) 10.0 February 3
5 41 6.1 China, Sichuan VI (Strong) 10.0 August 30
6 23 6.9 Japan, Honshu IX (Violent) 8.0 June 13
7 13 5.8 Russia, Dagestan VII (Very strong) 20.0 October 11
8 11 5.9 Colombia, El Calvario VII (Very strong) 35.0 May 24
9 10 6.4 China, Tibet VII (Very strong) 10.0 October 6
  • Note: At least 10 dead

By magnitude

Rank Magnitude Death toll Location MMI Depth (km) Date
1 7.9 87,587 China, Sichuan XI (Extreme) 19.0 May 12
2 7.7 0 Russia, Sea of Okhotsk III (Weak) 632.8 July 5
3 7.4 3 Indonesia, Simeulue VIII (Severe) 25.0 February 20
3 7.4 6 Indonesia, Sulawesi VII (Very strong) 21.0 November 16
5 7.3 0 Russia, Sea of Okhotsk III (Weak) 632.0 May 12
5 7.3 0 New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands VII (Very strong) 33.0 April 9
7 7.2 0 Indonesia, Sumatra VI (Strong) 28.0 February 25
7 7.2 0 China, Xinjiang VIII (Severe) 15.0 March 20
9 7.1 0 Australia, Macquarie Island V (Moderate) 16.0 April 12
10 7.0 0 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands VII (Very strong) 8.0 June 30
10 7.0 0 Japan, Honshu VIII (Severe) 22.0 July 19
10 7.0 0 New Zealand, Kermadec Islands V (Moderate) 36.0 September 29
  • Note: At least 7.0 Magnitude

By month

January

January
Strongest magnitude6.6 Mw Canada
Deadliest4.6 Mw Algeria
1 death
6.2 Mw Indonesia
1 death
Total fatalities2
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.90
7.0–7.90
6.0–6.914
5.0–5.9110
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on January 1.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on January 4.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Haida Gwaii, Canada on January 5.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Haida Gwaii, Canada on January 5.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Greece on January 6.
  • A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on January 7. Six people were injured and 22 homes were damaged.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Tibet, China on January 9.
  • A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck Northern Algeria on January 9. One person was killed and several homes were damaged.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Haida Gwaii, Canada on January 9.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the coast of Oregon on January 10.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Fiji on January 15.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea on January 20.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Tonga on January 22.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Tonga on January 22.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on January 22. One person died, five others were injured and several homes were damaged in Gunungsitoli.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Banda Sea on January 30.

February

February
Strongest magnitude7.4 Mw Indonesia
Deadliest5.9 Mw Democratic Republic of the Congo
44 death
Total fatalities49
Number by magnitude
7.0–7.92
6.0–6.918
5.0–5.9146
  • A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo on February 3, killing 44 people.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Tarapaca, Chile on February 4.
  • A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck West Bengal, India on February 6, killing 1 person.
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurred in the Northern Atlantic Ocean on February 8.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on February 10.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Oaxaca, Mexico on February 12.
  • A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Rwanda on February 14, killing 1 person.
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Southern Greece on February 14.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Svalbard on February 21.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Nevada on February 21.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the South Shetland Islands on February 23.
  • A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on February 20, killing 3 people.
  • A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on February 25.
  • A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Lincolnshire, Great Britain on February 27, injuring 1 person.

March

March
Strongest magnitude7.2 Mw China
Deadliest-
Total fatalities0
Number by magnitude
7.0–7.91
6.0–6.914
5.0–5.9147
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Mentawai Islands Regency, Indonesia on March 3.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on March 3.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore Luzon, Philippines on March 3.
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck offshore Samar, Philippines on March 3.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Vanuatu on March 12.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Vanuatu on March 12.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Prince Edward Islands on March 13.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore the Ogasawara Islands on March 14.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore Simeulue, Indonesia on March 15.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on March 18.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquakes struck offshore Mindanao, Philippines on March 20.
  • A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Xinjiang, China on March 20.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands on March 22.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Tarapacá Region, Chile on March 24.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck offshore Simeulue, Indonesia on March 29.

April

April
Strongest magnitude7.3 Mw New Caledonia
Deadliest-
Total fatalities0
Number by magnitude
7.0–7.92
6.0–6.919
5.0–5.9163
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 9.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 9.
  • A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 9.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 9.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 11.
  • A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Macquarie Island on April 12.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on April 14.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck offshore Guatemala on April 15.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands on April 15.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands on April 16.
  • A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Illinois on April 18.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Fiji on April 18.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Maluku, Indonesia on April 19.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 19.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Maluku, Indonesia on April 19.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Taiwan on April 23.
  • A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Brazil on April 23
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred in the south Atlantic Ocean on April 24.
  • 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.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on April 28.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 28.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck New Caledonia on April 28.

May

May
Strongest magnitude7.9 Mw China
Deadliest7.9 Mw China
87,587 death
Total fatalities87,606
Number by magnitude
7.0–7.91
6.0–6.912
5.0–5.9175
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands on May 2.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Japan on May 7, injuring 6 people.
  • A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Guam on May 9.
  • A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on May 12, killing 87,587 people 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.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Iceland on May 29, injuring 30 people.

June

June
Strongest magnitude7.0 Mw South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Deadliest6.9 Mw Japan
13 death
Total fatalities23
Number by magnitude
7.0–7.91
6.0–6.915
5.0–5.9166
  • A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Northern Algeria on June 6, killing one person.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Greece on June 8, killing 2 people.
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Honshu, Japan on June 13, killing 13 people.
  • A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Sichuan, China, killing 2 people.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Tonga on June 26.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Andaman Islands on June 27.
  • A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on June 30.

July

July
Strongest magnitude7.7 Mw Russia
Deadliest6.2 Mw Peru
1 death
6.4 Mw Greece
1 death
6.8 Mw Japan
1 death
5.7 Mw China
1 death
Total fatalities4
Number by magnitude
7.0–7.92
6.0–6.912
5.0–5.9124
  • A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Kamchatka on July 5.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Southern Peru on July 8, killing one person.
  • 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.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands on July 19.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Eastern Honshu, Japan on July 23, killing one person.
  • A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on July 24, killing one person.
  • A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Southern California on July 29.

August

August
Strongest magnitude6.7 Mw China
Deadliest5.7 Mw China
43 death
Total fatalities54
Number by magnitude
6.0–6.916
5.0–5.9153
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Banda Sea on August 4.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on August 5, killing 4 people.
  • A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck offshore Antarctica on August 9.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck offshore Antarctica on August 9.
  • A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Andaman Islands on August 10.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred in the South Atlantic Ocean on August 11.
  • A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Philippines on August 15.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Samoa on August 19.
  • 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.
  • A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Tibet, China on August 25.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Peru on August 26.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Irkutsk, Russia on August 27.
  • A magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred in the South Atlantic Ocean on August 28.
  • A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on August 31.
  • 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.

September

September
Strongest magnitude7.0 Mw New Zealand
Deadliest6.1 Mw Iran
1 death
Total fatalities10
Number by magnitude
7.0–7.91
6.0–6.911
5.0–5.9138
  • A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Vanuatu on September 8.
  • A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Southern Sumatra, Indonesia on September 9.
  • A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Iran on September 10, killing 7 people.
  • A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Halmahera, Indonesia on September 11.
  • A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Hokkaido, Japan on September 11.
  • A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Maharashtra, India on September 16, killing 1 person.
  • A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on September 29.

October

October
Strongest magnitude6.7 Mw Kyrgyzstan
Deadliest6.4 Mw Pakistan
225 death
Number by magnitude
7.0–7.90
6.0–6.99
5.0–5.9198
  • 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[broken anchor]

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