Earthquakes in 1992Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1992
|
| Strongest magnitude | 7.8 Indonesia |
|---|
| Deadliest | 7.8 Indonesia 2,500 deaths |
|---|
| Total fatalities | 3,939 |
|---|
|
| 9.0+ | 0 |
|---|
| 4.0–4.9 | 5,130 |
|---|
|
This is a list of earthquakes in 1992. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. All dates are listed according to UTC time.
By death toll
By magnitude
| Rank
|
Magnitude
|
Death toll
|
Location
|
MMI
|
Depth (km)
|
Date
|
| 1
|
7.8
|
2,500
|
Indonesia, Flores Sea offshore
|
VIII (Severe)
|
27.7
|
December 12
|
| 2
|
7.7
|
116
|
Nicaragua, León offshore
|
III (Weak)
|
44.8
|
September 2
|
| 3
|
7.4
|
0
|
Vanuatu, Tanna offshore
|
VIII (Severe)
|
129.0
|
October 11
|
| 4
|
7.3
|
75
|
Kyrgyzstan, Suusamyr Valley
|
IX (Violent)
|
27.4
|
August 19
|
| 4
|
7.3
|
0
|
Philippines, Mindanao offshore
|
VII (Very Strong)
|
33.0
|
May 17
|
| 4
|
7.3
|
3
|
United States, California
|
IX (Violent)
|
1.0
|
June 28
|
| 4
|
7.3
|
0
|
Indonesia, offshore Banda Sea
|
VI (Strong)
|
77.7
|
December 20
|
| 8
|
7.2
|
0
|
United States, California
|
IX (Violent)
|
9.9
|
April 25
|
| 8
|
7.2
|
0
|
Papua New Guinea, Morobe offshore
|
VII (Very Strong)
|
58.0
|
May 15
|
| 8
|
7.2
|
0
|
Tonga offshore, south of the Fiji Islands
|
IV (Light)
|
377.2
|
July 11
|
| 11
|
7.2
|
11
|
Colombia, Chocó
|
X (Extreme)
|
10.0
|
October 18
|
| 12
|
7.1
|
0
|
Philippines, Mindanao offshore
|
VII (Very Strong)
|
32.8
|
May 17
|
| 13
|
7.0
|
0
|
Solomon Islands, Nendö offshore
|
VII (Very Strong)
|
18.8
|
May 27
|
By month
January
January| Strongest magnitude | 6.7 Japan |
|---|
| Total fatalities | 0 |
|---|
|
| 8.0–8.9 | 0 |
|---|
| 7.0–7.9 | 0 |
|---|
| 6.0–6.9 | 3 |
|---|
February
February| Strongest magnitude | 6.8 Vanuatu |
|---|
| Deadliest | 3.4 South Africa 4 deaths |
|---|
| Total fatalities | 4 |
|---|
|
| 8.0–8.9 | 0 |
|---|
| 7.0–7.9 | 0 |
|---|
| 6.0–6.9 | 12 |
|---|
| Date
|
Country and location
|
Mw
|
Depth (km)
|
MMI
|
Notes
|
Casualties
|
| Dead
|
Injured
|
| 1[4]
|
Japan, Kanagawa offshore, 4 km (2.5 mi) SSE of Miura
|
5.8
|
100.0
|
IV
|
37 people injured and damage in Tokyo.
|
-
|
37
|
| 2[5]
|
Western Indian-Antarctic Ridge
|
6.0
|
10.0
|
-
|
Foreshock of the 6.3 event later that day.
|
-
|
-
|
| 2[6]
|
Western Indian-Antarctic Ridge
|
6.3
|
10.0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 4[7]
|
Indonesia, Central Java, 6 km (3.7 mi) SE of Margasari
|
5.1
|
58.3
|
VI[8]
|
One person injured, 1,500 homes damaged and 1,500 families displaced in Brebes Regency.
|
-
|
1
|
| 6[9]
|
Indonesia, Bengkulu offshore, 187 km (116 mi) S of Pagar Alam
|
6.5
|
36.8
|
VI[8]
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 12[10]
|
Turkey, Amasya, 11 km (6.8 mi) SSE of Amasya
|
4.9
|
11.1
|
VI
|
Damage in the Çorum–Samsun–Amasya area.
|
-
|
-
|
| 13[11]
|
Vanuatu, Sanma offshore, 99 km (62 mi) WSW of Luganville
|
6.8
|
9.6
|
VI
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 13[12]
|
United States, Alaska offshore, 59 km (37 mi) S of Akutan
|
6.0
|
44.2
|
V
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 14[13]
|
South Africa, Gauteng, 7 km (4.3 mi) SSE of Carletonville
|
3.4
|
5.0
|
IV
|
Four miners killed and four others were injured due to a collapse at the Mponeng Gold Mine.
|
4
|
4
|
| 17[14]
|
Russia, Severnaya Zemlya offshore
|
6.0
|
10.0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 17[15]
|
Australia, Macquarie Island offshore
|
6.2
|
33.0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 17[16]
|
Vanuatu, Tafea offshore, 261 km (162 mi) SSE of Isangel
|
6.2
|
137.2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 20[17]
|
France, Wallis and Futuna offshore
|
6.0
|
378.9
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 21[18]
|
Papua New Guinea, Morobe, 44 km (27 mi) NW of Finschhafen
|
6.0
|
55.0
|
V
|
Foreshock of the 6.7 event six days later.
|
-
|
-
|
| 26[19]
|
Yemen, Owen fracture zone offshore
|
6.0
|
10.0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 27[20]
|
Papua New Guinea, Morobe, 50 km (31 mi) NW of Finschhafen
|
6.7
|
38.5
|
VIII[8]
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 28[21]
|
Argentina, Tucumán, 24 km (15 mi) NE of Alderetes
|
5.2
|
23.2
|
VI
|
Some damage in San Miguel de Tucumán.
|
-
|
-
|
March
March| Strongest magnitude | 6.9 Russia |
|---|
| Deadliest | 6.7 Turkey 950 deaths |
|---|
| Total fatalities | 957 |
|---|
|
| 8.0–8.9 | 0 |
|---|
| 7.0–7.9 | 0 |
|---|
| 6.0–6.9 | 16 |
|---|
| Date
|
Country and location
|
Mw
|
Depth (km)
|
MMI
|
Notes
|
Casualties
|
| Dead
|
Injured
|
| 2[22]
|
Russia, Kamchatka offshore, 84 km (52 mi) E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
|
6.9
|
38.6
|
VIII[8]
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 2[23]
|
Russia, Kamchatka offshore, 85 km (53 mi) E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
|
6.0
|
34.9
|
V
|
Aftershock of the 6.9 event earlier that day.
|
-
|
-
|
| 4[24]
|
Iran, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, 55 km (34 mi) WSW of Borujen
|
5.1
|
17.9
|
VII[8]
|
Six people killed, 50 injured and 300 homes collapsed in the Lordegan–Ardal area. Landslides blocked roads in the epicentral region.
|
6
|
50
|
| 5[25]
|
Djibouti, Djibouti, 4 km (2.5 mi) WSW of Arta
|
6.2
|
7.4
|
IX[8]
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| 7[26]
|
Costa Rica, Alajuela, 5 km (3.1 mi) SW of Río Segundo
|
6.6
|
78.9
|
VII[8]
|
One person died of a heart attack and damage in San Jose.
|
1
|
-
|
| 8[27]
|
United States, California, 27 km (17 mi) NW of Shelter Cove
|
5.3
|
9.5
|
VI
|
Minor damage in Honeydew and Petrolia.
|
-
|
-
|
| 13[28]
|
Turkey, Erzincan, 8 km (5.0 mi) W of Cimin
|
6.7
|
27.2
|
IX[29]
|
|
950
|
2,800
|
References
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.1 – 247 km WSW of Tofino, Canada 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.1 – 60 km N of Ternate, Indonesia 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.7 - Bonin Islands, Japan region 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 5.8 – 4 km SSE of Miura, Japan 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.0 – western Indian-Antarctic Ridge 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.3 – western Indian-Antarctic Ridge 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 5.1 – 6 km SE of Margasari, Indonesia 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ a b c d e f g "EXPO-CAT Earthquake Catalog". Version 2007-12. United States Geological Survey. December 1, 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.5 – 187 km S of Pagar Alam, Indonesia 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 4.9 – 11 km SSE of Amasya, Turkey 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.8 – 99 km WSW of Luganville, Vanuatu 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.0 – 59 km S of Akutan, Alaska 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 3.4 – 7 km SSE of Carletonville, South Africa 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.0 – east of Severnaya Zemlya 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.2 – Macquarie Island region 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.2 – 261 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.0 – 160 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.0 – 44 km NW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.0 - Owen Fracture Zone region 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.7 – 50 km NW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 5.2 – 24 km NE of Alderetes, Argentina 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.9 – 84 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.0 – 85 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 5.1 – 55 km WSW of Borūjen, Iran 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.2 – 4 km WSW of Arta, Djibouti 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.6 – 5 km SW of Río Segundo, Costa Rica 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 5.3 – 27 km NW of Shelter Cove, California 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ ANSS. "M 6.7 – 8 km W of Cimin, Turkey 1992". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ Yarar, R.; Eisenberg, J.; Karadogan, F. (1993). A preliminary report on the Erzincan earthquake, March 13, 1992 (PDF). Proceedings of the Second Turkish National Conference in Earthquake Engineering. Istanbul, Turkey. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
|
|---|
- Erzincan (6.7, Mar 13) †
- Roermond (5.8, Apr 13)
- Joshua Tree (6.2, Apr 22)
- Cape Mendocino (7.2, Apr 25)
- Kohat (6.3, May 5) †
- 1992 Mindanao (7.2, May 17)
- Landers (7.3, Jun 28)
- Big Bear (6.5, Jun 28)
- Suusamyr (7.3, Aug 19) †
- Nicaragua (7.7, Sep 2) †
- St. George (5.8, Sep 2)
- Cairo (5.8, Oct 12) †
- Murindó (7.2, Oct 18)
- Flores (7.8, Dec 12) † ‡
|
† indicates earthquake resulting in at least 30 deaths ‡ indicates the deadliest earthquake of the year |