# List of earthquakes in 1991

This is a list of earthquakes in 1991. 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

| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 2,000 | 6.8 | India, Uttarakhand | IX (Violent) | 10.3 | October 19 |
| 2 | 848 | 6.9 | Afghanistan, Badakshan | VII (Very Strong) | 142.4 | January 31 |
| 3 | 270 | 7.0 | Georgia, Racha | IX (Violent) | 17.2 | April 29 |
| 4 | 127 | 7.6 | Costa Rica, Limon | X (Extreme) | 10.0 | April 22 |
| 5 | 92 | 5.3 | Peru, Department of Arequipa | VI (Strong) | 5.0 | July 23 |
| 6 | 53 | 7.1 | Peru, Department of San Martín | VIII (Severe) | 19.8 | April 5 |
| 7 | 25 | 6.2 | Guatemala, Chimaltenango Department | VII (Very Strong) | 5.0 | September 18 |
| 8 | 23 | 6.9 | East Timor offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 28.8 | July 4 |
| 9 | 20 | 5.5 | Iraq, Kurdistan Region | VI (Strong) | 25.5 | July 24 |
| 10 | 10 | 4.7 | Yemen, Ibb | V (Moderate) | 10.0 | November 22 |
Listed are earthquakes with at least 10 dead.

## By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 7.6 | 127 | Costa Rica, Limon Province | X (Extreme) | 10.0 | April 22 |
| 1 | 7.6 | 0 | Russia, Kuril Islands offshore | VI (Strong) | 24.7 | December 22 |
| 3 | 7.5 | 0 | Indonesia, Gorontalo offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 31.4 | June 20 |
| 4 | 7.3 | 0 | Argentina, Santiago del Estero | I (Not Felt) | 558.0 | June 23 |
| 5 | 7.2 | 0 | Solomon Islands, Malango offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 23.4 | October 14 |
| 5 | 7.2 | 2 | Colombia, Chocó offshore | IX (Violent) | 21.3 | November 19 |
| 5 | 7.2 | 0 | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands offshore | I (Not Felt) | 10.0 | December 27 |
| 8 | 7.1 | 53 | Peru, San Martín | VIII (Severe) | 19.8 | April 5 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 0 | Myanmar, Sagaing | VIII (Severe) | 19.7 | January 5 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 0 | Philippines, Mindanao offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 23.9 | February 18 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 270 | Georgia, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti | IX (Violent) | 17.2 | April 29 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 0 | Indonesia, Gorontalo offshore | VI (Strong) | 33.0 | May 19 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 0 | Peru, Cusco | VII (Very Strong) | 104.5 | July 6 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 0 | United States, offshore Alaska Peninsula | V (Moderate) | 28.4 | May 30 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 0 | Tonga offshore | I (Not Felt) | 265.5 | June 9 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 0 | United States, Oregon offshore | V (Moderate) | 1.3 | August 17 |
| 9 | 7.0 | 0 | Fiji region offshore | I (Not Felt) | 566.4 | September 30 |
Listed are earthquakes with at least 7.0 magnitude.

## By month
### January

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 1 | Mexico, Colima offshore, 172 km southwest of Emiliano Zapata | 6.3 | 35.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 2 | United States, Nevada, 6 km southwest of Carson City | 4.4 | 5.8 | V | Minor damage was caused in Carson City. | - | - |
| 5 | Myanmar, Mandalay, 99 km northwest of Mogok | 7.0 | 19.7 | VIII | At least 32 buildings and 380 hectares of farmland were damaged in Thabeikkyin. Some landslides were also reported. | - | - |
| 23 | United States, Alaska, Rat Islands offshore | 6.4 | 108.4 | V | - | - | - |
| 25 | Indonesia, Papua offshore, 162 km northwest of Abepura | 6.4 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 31 | Afghanistan, Badakshan, 77 km northwest Parun | 6.9 | 142.4 | VII | The 1991 Hindu Kush earthquake killed 848 people (545 in Afghanistan, 300 in Pakistan and 3 in Tajikistan), injured 200 and destroyed thousands of homes. Landslides also occurred. | 848 | 200 |

### February

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 9 | Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal offshore, 68 km southwest of Malango | 6.9 | 10.0 | VI | Some damage occurred in Honiara, where a tsunami of 4 cm was observed. | - | - |
| 12 | Turkey, Istanbul offshore, 18 km southwest of Kinali | 4.8 | 10.0 | IV | A few people were slightly injured and minor damage occurred in the Istanbul area. | - | 3+ |
| 13 | France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 6 km south of Claviere, Italy | 3.8 | 5.0 | IV | Nine people were killed by an avalanche which was triggered by the quake. | 9 | - |
| 18 | Philippines, Caraga offshore, 18 km east of Aras-asan | 7.0 | 23.9 | VII | - | - | - |
| 21 | Russia, offshore Bering Sea | 6.7 | 20.2 | IV | A tsunami was observed with heights of 30 cm (1 ft) in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. | - | - |
| 25 | China, Xinjiang, 118 km southwest of Aykol | 6.0 | 20.6 | VII | Three people were injured and at least 120 houses collapsed and 8,441 houses damaged in the Kalpin area. Ground cracks were also reported there. | - | 3 |

### March

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 8 | Russia, Kamchatka, 74 km northeast of Tilichiki | 6.6 | 13.0 | VIII | - | - | - |
| 16 | Costa Rica, Guanacaste, 15 km north of Nandayure | 6.3 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 25 | China, Shanxi, 58 km southeast of Datong | 5.4 | 10.0 | VI | 131 people were injured and 1,328 houses were damaged in Datong. | - | 131 |

### April

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 4 | Peru, San Martín, 4 km northeast of Rioja | 6.5 | 20.7 | VII | This was a foreshock of the 7.1 earthquake which occurred a day later. Ten people were injured and fifteen houses were damaged. | - | 10 |
| 5 | Peru, San Martín, 11 km northeast of Rioja | 7.1 | 19.8 | VIII | The 1991 Alto Mayo earthquake killed at least 53 people, injured 252 and destroyed 8,063 homes in the Rioja-Moyobamba area. | 53 | 252 |
| 5 | Peru, Ica, 21 km southeast of Pampa de Tate | 6.3 | 50.0 | VI | Some damage was caused in Nazca. | - | - |
| 6 | Wallis and Futuna offshore, 203 km southeast of Mata-Utu | 6.7 | 16.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 18 | Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic, Khatlon, 14 km southeast of Boshchorbogh | 5.5 | 33.0 | V | One person died and six were injured in the Kabodiyen District, where landslides occurred. | 1 | 6 |
| 20 | Afghanistan, Badakshan, 50 km south of Jurm | 4.1 | 33.0 | III | 100 homes were damaged in Badakshan. | - | - |
| 22 | Costa Rica, Limón, 34 km south of Limón | 7.6 | 10.0 | X | The 1991 Limon earthquake claimed 48 lives in Costa Rica and 79 in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Roads and bridges between Limón and Sixaola were all destroyed. 759 people were also injured. | 127 | 759 |
| 24 | Turkey, Erzurum, 33 km west of Tekman | 4.5 | 33.0 | IV | One person was killed, three were injured and some houses were damaged in Erzurum Province. | 1 | 3 |
| 29 | Georgia, Racha, 22 km northwest of Java | 7.0 | 17.2 | IX | The 1991 Racha earthquake was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the Caucasus region. 270 people were killed and 1,000 were injured. | 270 | 1,000 |

### May

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 1 | United States, Alaska, 33 km west of Petersville | 6.3 | 115.1 | V | Minor damage occurred in Anchorage. | - | - |
| 3 | Japan, Bonin Islands offshore | 6.7 | 433.1 | I | - | - | - |
| 3 | Georgia, Racha, 19 km northeast of Ambrolauri | 5.6 | 10.0 | VII | It was an aftershock of the 1991 Racha earthquake. Three people were killed by landslides. | 3 | - |
| 4 | Panama, Bocas del Toro offshore, 16 km northeast of Changuinola | 6.2 | 10.0 | VIII | 36 people were injured and 900 people were left homeless in Changuinola. | - | 36 |
| 15 | Georgia, Racha, 7 km southwest of Oni | 4.9 | 14.0 | VI | A mudslide destroyed all 45 houses in the Khekheti area. It was an aftershock of the 1991 Racha earthquake. | - | - |
| 17 | Papua New Guinea, East Sepik, 22 km southwest of Ambunti | 6.4 | 59.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 19 | Indonesia, Gorontalo offshore, 69 km north of Gorontalo | 7.0 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 21 | Indonesia, Maluku offshore, 106 km north of Baukau, Timor Leste | 6.6 | 18.4 | VI | - | - | - |
| 26 | Malaysia, Sabah, 13 km southeast of Ranau | 5.1 | 33.0 | V | One person died of a heart attack and light damage occurred in Ranau. | 1 | - |
| 30 | United States, Alaska offshore, 71 km southeast of King Cove | 7.0 | 28.4 | V | - | - | - |

### June

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 7 | Indonesia, offshore Flores Sea, 160 km northeast of Maumere | 6.9 | 536.4 | I | - | - | - |
| 9 | Tonga, Tongatapu offshore, 144 km northwest of Nukuʻalofa | 7.0 | 265.5 | I | - | - | - |
| 10 | Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 6.4 | 9.7 | I | - | - | - |
| 15 | Georgia, Racha, 9 km northeast of Java | 6.3 | 9.4 | VIII | It was an aftershock of the 1991 Racha earthquake. Eight people were killed, 200 were injured and further damage was caused. | 8 | 200 |
| 15 | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands offshore | 6.6 | 51.7 | I | - | - | - |
| 20 | Indonesia, Gorontalo offshore, 79 km northwest of Gorontalo | 7.5 | 31.4 | VII | Over 1,500 houses were damaged in Gorontalo. | - | - |
| 23 | Argentina, Santiago del Estero, 27 km northwest of El Hoyo | 7.3 | 558.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 28 | United States, California, 13 km northeast of Sierra Madre | 5.8 | 8.0 | VII | After the 1991 Sierra Madre earthquake, one person was killed and another died due to a heart attack. 100 people were injured and many buildings were damaged. | 2 | 100 |

### July

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 2 | Indonesia, Sumatra offshore, 58 km southwest of Padang | 6.4 | 53.8 | V | Minor damage was caused in Padang. | - | - |
| 4 | East Timor offshore, 81 km northwest Maubara | 6.9 | 28.8 | VII | The 1991 Kalabahi earthquakes destroyed over 1,100 homes, killing 23 and injuring 181. | 23 | 181 |
| 6 | Peru, Cusco, 15 km west of Lares | 7.0 | 104.5 | VII | Some damage occurred in Cusco. | - | - |
| 12 | Romania, Timis, 2 km south of Livezile | 5.6 | 10.7 | VIII | Two people died and thirty were injured after several houses collapsed. Some damage was also caused in Serbia (formerly part of Yugoslavia). | 2 | 30 |
| 13 | United States, Oregon offshore, 103 km west of Pistol River | 6.9 | 11.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 14 | Afghanistan, Badakshan, 53 km southwest of Ashkasham | 6.7 | 212.9 | V | - | - | - |
| 23 | Peru, Arequipa, 5 km southeast of Chivay | 5.3 | 5.0 | VI | At least 92 people were killed and thirty were injured in the earthquake despite its moderate magnitude, including eighty who were missing and presumed dead. | 92 | 30 |
| 24 | Iraq, Kurdistan, 30 km southeast of Aqrah | 5.5 | 25.5 | VI | At least twenty people killed and many were injured. 100 homes were destroyed. | 20 | Many |

### August

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 6 | Japan, Chiba offshore, 19 km east of Hasaki | 6.0 | 28.5 | V | - | - | - |
| 8 | Indonesia, Gorontalo offshore, 67 km northwest of Gorontalo | 6.7 | 12.4 | VII | It was an aftershock of the 7.5 earthquake that occurred in June. | - | - |
| 14 | Vanuatu, Torba offshore, 31 km north of Sola | 6.5 | 13.8 | VII | - | - | - |
| 17 | United States, California, 30 km southwest of Scotia | 6.0 | 8.3 | VIII | Damage and landslides occurred in Petrolia. | - | - |
| 17 | United States, Oregon offshore, 136 km southwest of Brookings | 7.0 | 1.3 | V | - | - | - |

### September

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 18 | Guatemala, Chimaltenago, 4 km southeast of Patzún | 6.2 | 5.0 | VII | During the 1991 Guatemala earthquake, 25 people died and 200 were injured. Landslides and extensive damage occurred. | 25 | 200 |
| 28 | Papua New Guinea, East New Britain, 95 km southeast of Kimbe | 6.6 | 28.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 30 | Fiji region offshore | 7.0 | 566.4 | I | - | - | - |

### October

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 12 | Vanuatu offshore, 96 km west of Sola | 6.3 | 43.8 | V | - | - | - |
| 14 | Solomon Islands offshore, 155 km west northwest of Malango | 7.2 | 23.4 | VII | - | - | - |
| 18 | Tonga offshore, south of the Fiji Islands | 6.5 | 197.5 | I | - | - | - |
| 19 | India, Uttarakhand, 32 km east of Uttarkashi | 6.8 | 10.3 | IX | The 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake damaged or destroyed 18,000 buildings throughout Uttarakhand, Chandigarh and New Delhi. Landslides and a 30-meter deep crack were formed in Uttarkashi. 2,000 people were killed and 1,800 were injured. | 2,000 | 1,800 |

### November

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 1 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands offshore | 6.6 | 21.4 | I | - | - | - |
| 4 | Iran, Khuzestan, 8 km northwest of Behbahan | 5.6 | 38.5 | V | 51 people were injured and 290 houses were damaged or destroyed in Behbahan. | - | 51 |
| 10 | Iran, Khuzestan, 2 km southeast of Behbahan | 5.0 | 43.6 | IV | Fifteen people were injured and further damage was caused in Behbahan. | - | 15 |
| 13 | Philippines, Caraga offshore, 4 km southeast of Hinatuan | 6.8 | 35.9 | VII | Minor damage was caused. | - | - |
| 19 | Colombia, Chocó offshore, 33 km northwest of Santa Genoveva de Docordó | 7.2 | 21.3 | IX | Two people were killed and 28 homes were damaged in Chocó. Minor damage was also caused in Cali. | 2 | - |
| 24 | Yemen, Ibb, 7 km northwest of Dhi as Sufal | 4.7 | 10.0 | V | Ten people were killed and 39 were injured. 17 houses were destroyed and 87 damaged. | 10 | 39 |
| 26 | Japan, Hokkaido offshore, 33 km southeast of Shizunai-furukawachō | 6.4 | 56.3 | VI | - | - | - |
| 28 | Iran, Gilan, 26 km northeast of Manjil | 5.6 | 15.7 | VI | Damage occurred in the epicentral area. One person died and seventy were injured. | 1 | 70 |

### December

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 11 | New Caledonia offshore, southeast of the Loyalty Islands | 6.5 | 36.6 | I | - | - | - |
| 13 | Russia, Kuril Islands offshore, 290 km east of Kuril'sk | 6.6 | 30.0 | I | These were foreshocks of the 7.6 earthquake on December 22. | - | - |
| 13 | Russia, Kuril Islands offshore, 258 km east of Kuril'sk | 6.8 | 27.2 | III | These were foreshocks of the 7.6 earthquake on December 22. | - | - |
| 22 | Russia, Kuril Islands offshore, 247 km east of Kuril'sk | 7.6 | 24.7 | VI | - | - | - |
| 27 | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands offshore | 7.2 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 27 | Mongolia, Khövsgöl, 64 km northeast of Kungurtug, Russia | 6.4 | 13.5 | VII | - | - | - |