Earthquakes in1961

class=notpageimage| Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1961 4.0–5.9 magnitude 6.0–6.9 magnitude 7.0–7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Peru,Madre de Dios Region, (Magnitude 7.6) August 19
Deadliest	Iran,Fars province (Magnitude 6.4) June 11 60 deaths
Total fatalities	128
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	15
6.0–6.9	91
5.0–5.9	2
← 1960 1962 →

This is a list ofearthquakes in 1961. Only magnitude 6.0 or greaterearthquakes 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 toUTC time. A fairly busy year although the largest event was only a magnitude 7.6. This was a big contrast to 1960 which had three events above magnitude 8.Peru had the largest event.Japan had five magnitude 7.0+ events. Overall there was not a great deal of deaths with the total being 128.Iran had the most with 60 from an event in June.

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	60	6.4	Iran,Fars province	VIII (Severe)	15.0	June 11
2	30	6.2	Ethiopia,Amhara Region	IX (Violent)	25.0	June 1
3	23	6.7	Colombia,Tolima Department	( )	162.9	December 20
4	10	6.8	Japan,Ishikawa Prefecture,Honshu	VII (Very strong)	15.0	August 19

• Note: At least 10 casualties

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	7.6	0	Peru,Madre de Dios Region	( )	612.2	August 19
= 2	7.5	2	Japan,Miyazaki Prefecture,Kyushu	X (Extreme)	35.0	February 26
= 2	7.5	0	Peru,Ucayali Region	( )	619.9	August 31
3	7.4	0	New Zealand,Kermadec Islands	( )	421.1	June 18
= 4	7.3	0	Indonesia,Gulf of Tomini	( )	144.8	March 28
= 4	7.3	0	New Hebrides,Vanuatu	VII (Very strong)	25.0	July 23
= 4	7.3	0	United Kingdom,South Sandwich Islands	( )	129.2	September 1
= 5	7.2	0	Japan, off the east coast ofHonshu	V (Moderate)	30.0	January 16
= 5	7.2	0	Peru,Madre de Dios Region	( )	597.5	August 31
= 6	7.1	0	Japan, easternHokkaido	VIII (Severe)	43.9	August 11
= 6	7.1	0	United Kingdom,South Sandwich Islands	( )	100.9	September 8
= 7	7.0	0	Japan, off the east coast ofHonshu	V (Moderate)	30.0	January 16
= 7	7.0	0	New Zealand,Kermadec Islands	( )	30.0	March 7
= 7	7.0	0	China, southernXinjiang Province	IX (Violent)	35.0	April 13
= 7	7.0	0	Japan,Ryukyu Islands	V (Moderate)	30.6	July 18

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

January

Strongest magnitude	7.2MwJapan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	9

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[1]	United Kingdom,Santa Cruz Islands,Solomon Islands	6.8	79.3
5[2]	United States,Andreanof Islands,Alaska	6.5	31.9
5[3]	Australia,East Sepik Province,Papua and New Guinea	6.9	142.7
5[4]	France, southeast of theLoyalty Islands,New Caledonia	6.6	35.0		Doublet earthquake.
5[5]	France, southeast of theLoyalty Islands,New Caledonia	6.6	35.0
10[6][7]	Soviet Union,Kuril Islands,Russian SFSR	6.6	58.5	VI
16[8][9]	Japan, off the east coast ofHonshu	7.2	30.0	V
16[10][11]	Japan, off the east coast ofHonshu	6.3	30.0	IV	Aftershock.
16[12][13]	Japan, off the east coast ofHonshu	7.0	30.0	V	Aftershock.
16[14][15]	Japan, off the east coast ofHonshu	6.7	30.0	V	Aftershock.
22[16]	United Kingdom,Santa Cruz Islands,Solomon Islands	6.8	15.0

February

Strongest magnitude	7.5MwJapan
Deadliest	7.5MwJapan 2 deaths
Total fatalities	2
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	8

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[17]	Taiwan, off the east coast	6.1	35.0
6[18][19]	Australia,Bougainville Island,Papua and New Guinea	6.5	45.0	VI
12[20][21]	Soviet Union,Kuril Islands,Russia	6.9	38.1	V
12[22]	Soviet Union,Kuril Islands,Russia	6.3	34.0		Aftershock.
14[23]	Soviet Union,Kuril Islands,Russia	6.0	45.7		Aftershock.
15[24]	Soviet Union,Kuril Islands,Russia	6.1	33.9		Aftershock.
26[25][26][27]	Japan,Miyazaki Prefecture,Kyushu	7.5	35.0	X	2 people were killed and a further 7 were injured. 170 homes were damaged and another 170 were destroyed. Atsunami was reported.	2	7
26[28]	Philippines,Luzon	6.1	15.0
27[29]	United States,Fox Islands (Alaska)	6.1	30.0

March

Strongest magnitude	7.3MwIndonesia
Deadliest	6.5MwIndonesia 2 deaths
Total fatalities	2
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	7

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
7[30]	New Zealand,Kermadec Islands	7.0	30.0
7[31]	China,Hubei Province	4.9	0.0	VII	25 homes were destroyed. Unknown depth.
11[32][33]	France,Gulf of Tadjoura,Djibouti	6.2	15.0	VIII
15[34][35]	Australia, west ofNew Ireland (island),Papua and New Guinea	6.1	30.0	V
16[36][37][38]	Indonesia, off the north coast ofFlores	6.5	45.0	VIII	2 people were killed and a further 6 were injured. Some damage was caused.	2	6
16[39][40]	Indonesia,Flores	6.0	35.0	VI	Aftershock.
18[41]	New Zealand,Auckland Islands	6.7	15.0
20[42]	Tonga	6.8	213.0
28[43]	Indonesia,Gulf of Tomini	7.3	144.8
28[44]	United States,Andreanof Islands,Alaska	6.1	45.4

April

Strongest magnitude	7.0MwChina
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	7

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[45][46]	China, southernXinjiang Province	6.8	20.0	VIII
4[47][48]	China, southernXinjiang Province	6.3	20.0	VII	Aftershock.
8[49][50]	Chile,Araucania Region	6.2	25.0	VI
8[51]	United States,Northern Mariana Islands	6.5	104.6
9[52][53]	Taiwan, off the east coast	6.9	35.0	VI
12[54][55]	El Salvador,San Vicente Department	6.0	65.0	V
13[56][57][58]	China, southernXinjiang Province	7.0	35.0	IX	53 homes were destroyed.
23[59]	Soviet Union,Kuril Islands,Russia	6.7	31.6

May

Strongest magnitude	6.6MwUnited Kingdom
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
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
7[60][61]	Australia, west ofBougainville Island,Papua and New Guinea	6.2	60.0	V
7[62]	Philippines, east ofMindanao	6.3	75.0
11[63][64]	Chile,Bio-Bio Region	6.1	25.0	VI
16[65]	Japan, southeast ofKyushu	6.0	25.5
22[66]	Tonga	6.0	27.0
23[67][68]	Turkey, off the coast ofMugla Province	6.4	35.0	VI
23[69][70]	Nicaragua,Chinandega Department	6.2	102.4	V
28[71]	United Kingdom, south ofFiji	6.6	228.0
31[72]	Mexico,Gulf of California	6.0	15.0
31[73][74]	Australia,East New Britain Province,Papua and New Guinea	6.0	50.0	V

June

Strongest magnitude	7.4MwNew Zealand
Deadliest	6.4MwIran 60 deaths
Total fatalities	90
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	10
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[75][76][77]	Ethiopia,Amhara Region	6.2	25.0	IX	30 people were killed and at least 101 were injured. Some damage was caused.	30	101+
2[78][79]	Ethiopia,Amhara Region	6.0	20.0	VIII	Aftershock.
4[80][81]	China, westernXizang Province	6.2	15.0	VII
9[82]	Soviet Union,Caspian Sea, offshoreAzerbaijan	6.0	35.0
11[83][84][85]	Iran,Fars province	6.4	15.0	VIII	60 people were killed and major damage was caused.	60
11[86][87][88]	China,Yunnan Province	5.6	15.0	VIII	5,740 homes were destroyed.
14[89]	Guatemala, off the west coast	6.0	100.0
16[90]	Colombia,Cesar Department	6.2	114.4
18[91]	New Zealand,Kermadec Islands	7.4	421.1
19[92][93]	Philippines, off the west coast ofTablas Island	6.0	25.0	VI
19[94]	Afghanistan,Badakhshan Province	6.7	195.1
27[95][96][97]	China,Yunnan Province	6.1	15.0	VIII	11,400 homes were destroyed.

July

Strongest magnitude	7.3MwNew Hebrides
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	8

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
6[98]	New Hebrides,Vanuatu	6.6	34.9
7[99][100]	Australia,West New Britain Province,Papua and New Guinea	6.5	48.4	VI
8[101]	France,Loyalty Islands,New Caledonia	6.1	35.0		Doublet earthquake.
8[102]	France,Loyalty Islands,New Caledonia	6.2	35.0
18[103][104]	Japan,Ryukyu Islands	7.0	30.6	V
23[105]	New Hebrides,Vanuatu	6.1	25.0		Foreshock.
23[106]	New Hebrides,Vanuatu	6.0	25.0		Foreshock.
23[107][108][109]	New Hebrides,Vanuatu	7.3	25.0	VII	Atsunami was caused with minor damage being reported.
26[110]	New Zealand, off the north coast	6.5	145.0
28[111][112]	Ecuador,Pastaza Province	6.6	142.1	V

August

Strongest magnitude	7.6MwPeru
Deadliest	6.8MwJapan 10 deaths
Total fatalities	10
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	4
6.0–6.9	5

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[113][114]	United Kingdom, easternGuadalcanal,Solomon Islands	6.4	25.0	VI
11[115][116]	Japan, easternHokkaido	7.1	43.9	VIII
11[117][118]	Indonesia, easternSulawesi	6.0	20.0	VII
14[119]	New Hebrides,Vanuatu	6.0	50.0
17[120]	Soviet Union,Kuril Islands,Russia	6.5	151.0
19[121]	Peru,Madre de Dios Region	7.6	612.2
19[122][123][124]	Japan,Ishikawa Prefecture,Honshu	6.8	15.0	VII	10 people were killed and some damage was caused.	10
31[125]	Peru,Madre de Dios Region	7.2	597.5		Foreshock.
31[126]	Peru,Ucayali Region	7.5	619.9

September

Strongest magnitude	7.3MwUnited Kingdom
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	7

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[127]	United Kingdom,South Sandwich Islands	7.3	129.2
5[128]	Soviet Union,Gorno-Badakhshan,Tajikistan	6.0	130.0
5[129][130]	United States,Kenai Peninsula,Alaska	6.0	44.0	VI
8[131]	United Kingdom,South Sandwich Islands	7.1	100.9
11[132]	Venezuela, off the coast of	6.1	120.6
17[133]	Taiwan, off the east coast	6.1	34.1
19[134]	Bolivia,Chuquisaca Department	6.5	574.8
20[135]	Australia, easternBismarck Sea,Papua and New Guinea	6.0	15.0
29[136]	Indonesia,Minahasa Peninsula	6.0	75.0

October

Strongest magnitude	6.8MwIndonesia
Deadliest	6.6MwChile 1 death
Total fatalities	1+
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	7
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[137]	China,Gansu Province	5.7	0.0	VII	10 homes were destroyed. Unknown depth.
8[138]	Indonesia, west ofHalmahera	6.8	120.0
10[139]	Indonesia,Papua (province)	6.3	265.0
18[140][141][142]	Chile,Concepcion, Chile	6.6	20.0	VII	At least 1 person was killed and some damage was caused.	1+
19[143]	Argentina,Neuquen Province	6.2	149.0
23[144]	Indonesia,Talaud Islands	6.2	15.0
26[145]	Australia,Bismarck Sea,Papua and New Guinea	6.5	20.0
26[146][147]	Indonesia,Batu Islands	6.2	28.9	VI

November

Strongest magnitude	6.6MwIndonesia
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	5

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
15[148][149]	Japan, off the east coast ofHokkaido	6.5	43.0	VII
16[150]	Dominican Republic,La Altagracia Province	6.0	155.0
19[151]	Indonesia,Minahasa Peninsula	6.6	185.0
27[152][153]	Japan, off the southeast coast ofKyushu	6.2	65.0	VI
27[154][155]	Indonesia,Bacan Islands	6.2	25.0	VI

December

Strongest magnitude	6.7Mw 2 events
Deadliest	6.7MwColombia 23 deaths
Total fatalities	23
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	8

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[156][157]	China, southernQinghai Province	6.1	15.8	VII
9[158]	Chile, off the coast ofLos Lagos Region	6.7	25.0
14[159][160]	Indonesia,Papua (province)	6.0	15.0	VI
20[161][162]	Colombia,Tolima Department	6.7	162.9		23 people were killed and major damage was caused.	23
24[163]	Japan,Hokkaido	6.0	118.0
24[164][165]	Chile, off the coast ofBio-Bio Region	6.1	25.0	VI
27[166][167]	New Zealand,Wellington Region,North Island	6.4	20.0	VII
30[168]	United States,Rat Islands,Alaska	6.5	15.0

• Lists of earthquakes by year
• 1961 earthquakes
• Lists of 20th-century earthquakes

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata