This is a list of earthquakes in 1946. 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. Several great shocks affected the planet in 1946. The largest was one of the most significant in human terms. The quake itself was a magnitude 8.6 striking on April 1 in Alaska resulting in a tsunami mainly affecting Hawaii. The consequence of this apart from many deaths was the foundation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. This organisation has helped to substantially reduce the death toll of tsunamis in the Pacific, although there have been a few exceptions, including the 2011 Japan event. Japan itself was heavily affected in 1946 by a large quake hitting in December, causing 1,362 deaths. The Dominican Republic was another nation that suffered great destruction in August. Turkey, Peru, and Turkmenistan all saw earthquakes causing many deaths. There were 21 events measuring above 7.0 and three exceeding a magnitude of 8.0.

Overall

By death toll

Rank Death toll Magnitude Location MMI Depth (km) Date 1 , Samaná Bay 2 , Ancash Region 3 , off the south coast of Honshu 4 , Erzurum Province 5 , Balkan Region, Turkmenistan 6 , Bordj Bou Arréridj Province, Algeria 7 , south of Unimak Island, Alaska 8 , off the northern coast 9 , north of Taiwan 10 , Konya Province Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank Magnitude Death toll Location MMI Depth (km) Date 1 , south of Unimak Island, Alaska 2 , off the south coast of Honshu 3 , Sagaing Region = 4 , Sagaing Region = 4 , southeast of New Ireland (island), New Guinea = 5 , Samaná Bay = 5 , Jalal-Abad Region, Kyrgyzstan = 6 , Mentawai Islands = 6 , Vancouver Island = 7 , Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea = 7 , Santiago del Estero Province = 7 , Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea = 8 , Oaxaca = 8 , Veracruz = 9 , Vanuatu = 9 , Vanuatu = 9 , off the northern coast = 9 , south of = 9 , south of = 9 , La Altagracia Province = 9 , Andreanof Islands, Alaska Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Quiche Department 6.0 210.0 , Vanuatu 6.9 35.0 , Heilongjiang Province 6.8 581.2 , Gulf of Alaska 6.6 20.0 , Morobe Province, New Guinea 7.2 95.0 , Vanuatu 7.0 35.0 , Canton of Bern 6.0 35.0 The 1946 Valais earthquake killed three people in Switzerland, and one in France. 4

February

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Andreanof Islands, Alaska 6.8 160.0 , South Khorasan Province 0.0 0.0 3 people were killed and some damage was caused. Magnitude and depth unknown. 3 , Bordj Bou Arreridj Province, Algeria 6.0 35.0 264 deaths were reported as well as major damage. 264 , Konya Province 5.6 60.0 12 people were killed. 12 , Chiapas 6.0 170.0 , Jujuy Province 6.0 270.0

March

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , central California 6.3 6.0 , southeast of 6.0 35.0 , off the west coast of southern Sumatra 6.8 45.0

April

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , south of Unimak Island, Alaska 8.6 15.0 This was one of the largest events of all time. The 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake caused a large tsunami that resulted in major destruction on Hawaii. 167 people were killed and property damage was $26 million (1946 rate). The disaster prompted the formation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. 167 , southwest of Crete 6.0 100.0

May

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , New Ireland (island), New Guinea 6.9 35.0 , Mentawai Islands 7.3 35.0 , east of Martinique 6.3 30.0 , Erzurum Province 6.0 35.0 840 people were killed. 840

June

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , east of 6.3 15.0 , Oaxaca 7.1 109.9 , Ceram Sea 6.4 15.0 , Vancouver Island 7.3 30.0 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake. Some property damage was caused. , Copan Department 6.0 260.0 , Banda Sea 6.5 160.0 , Sacatepequez Department 6.5 90.0 , Canterbury, New Zealand 6.5 15.0 , Canterbury, New Zealand 6.0 35.0 Aftershock.

July

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Vanuatu 7.0 175.4 , Veracruz 7.1 117.8 , Fox Islands (Alaska) 6.8 100.0 , off coast of Tarapaca Region 6.3 63.5

August

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Atacama Region 6.9 39.2 2 people were killed and major damage was caused. 2 , Samana Bay 7.5 15.0 The 1946 Dominican Republic earthquake was one of the worst disasters to hit the country. The earthquake caused few deaths however a major tsunami left 1,790 people dead. Many homes were destroyed. 1,790 , north coast 7.0 15.0 This was a large aftershock of the previous event. 75 further deaths were caused by a tsunami. 75 , Solomon Islands 6.5 20.0 , south of 7.0 84.1 , Santiago del Estero Province 7.2 573.6

September

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Sagaing Region 8.0 15.0 1946 Sagaing Earthquake , Sagaing Region 7.8 15.0 Aftershock. , Morobe Province, New Guinea 7.2 110.0 , south of 7.0 588.4 , southeast of New Ireland (island), New Guinea 7.8 50.0 , Ica Region 6.1 53.0 Many homes were damaged.

October

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , southern Kamchatka Krai, Russia 6.5 38.2 , southern Kamchatka Krai, Russia 6.3 34.3 Aftershock. , La Altagracia Province 7.0 50.0 , south of 6.8 620.0 , Potosi Department 6.0 200.0 , Vanuatu 6.8 200.7 , eastern Kamchatka Krai, Russia 6.5 140.0 , south of Unimak Island, Alaska 6.5 30.0

November

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Andreanof Islands, Alaska 7.0 25.0 , Jalal-Abad Region, Kyrgyzstan 7.5 25.0 The 1946 Chatkal earthquake caused some damages to Central Asia. , Balkan Region, Turkmenistan 6.9 37.9 400 people were killed and major damage was caused. 400 , Leh 6.4 25.0 , San Juan Province, Argentina 6.2 120.0 , Ancash Region 6.8 15.0 1,400 people were killed and major damage was caused by the 1946 Ancash earthquake. 1,400 6.9 15.0 , Banda Sea 6.5 100.0 6.9 265.0

December

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , north of 6.6 25.0 The 1946 Hsinhua earthquake left 58 people dead and 384 injured. 700 homes were destroyed. 58 384 6.5 580.0 , east of 6.8 98.0 , off the south coast of Honshu 8.3 15.0 The 1946 Nankai earthquake was one of the largest quakes to hit Japan. The south coast is vulnerable to Nankai megathrust earthquakes. 1,362 people were killed and 2,600 were injured. 36,000 homes were destroyed. A tsunami washed the shoreline contributing to the devastation with wave heights around 20 feet. 1,362 2,600 , east of Kuril Islands, Russia 6.9 20.0 , Rat Islands, Alaska 6.5 90.0

References