# List of earthquakes in 1963

This is a list of earthquakes in 1963. 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. Maximum intensities are indicated on the Mercalli intensity scale and are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) ShakeMap data. A fairly active year with 17 events reaching above magnitude 7.0. The intensity of the events was stronger with 2 measuring above magnitude 8. Both events came within 3 weeks of each other. The strongest of 1963 was in the Kuril Islands, Russia and was magnitude 8.5. Macedonia had by far the most of the 1,488 fatalities. A fairly modest magnitude 6.0 event in July resulted in 1,070 deaths and substantial destruction. Libya had one of the worst events in its history in February. Again a fairly moderate magnitude 5.6 ended up with 300 deaths in the area.

## Overall
### By death toll

| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 1,070 | 6.0 | Yugoslavia, Skopje, Macedonia | X (Extreme) | 15.0 | July 26 |
| 2 | 375 | 5.6 | Kingdom of Libya, Marj District | VI (Strong) | 25.0 | February 21 |
| 3 | 100 | 6.0 | Iran, Kermanshah Province | VII (Very strong) | 20.0 | March 24 |
| 4 | 15 | 7.2 | Taiwan, off the east coast of Taiwan | VII (Very strong) | 30.0 | February 13 |
* Note: At least 10 casualties

### By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 8.5 | 0 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | IX (Violent) | 35.0 | October 13 |
| 2 | 8.1 | 0 | Indonesia, Banda Sea | VIII (Severe) | 65.0 | November 4 |
| 3 | 7.8 | 0 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | VI (Strong) | 28.2 | October 20 |
| 4 | 7.7 | 0 | Peru, Puno Region | IV (Light) | 550.0 | August 15 |
| = 5 | 7.6 | 0 | Brazil, Acre (state) | I (Not felt) | 590.7 | November 9 |
| = 5 | 7.6 | 0 | United Kingdom, south of Fiji | VIII (Severe) | 55.0 | December 18 |
| 6 | 7.5 | 0 | Australia, Morobe Province, Papua and New Guinea | VI (Strong) | 186.6 | February 26 |
| 7 | 7.4 | 0 | United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | IX (Violent) | 35.0 | September 15 |
| 8 | 7.3 | 0 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | I (Not felt) | 10.0 | March 26 |
| = 9 | 7.2 | 15 | Taiwan, off the east coast of Taiwan | VII (Very strong) | 30.0 | February 13 |
| = 9 | 7.2 | 0 | Soviet Union, east of the Kuril Islands, Russia | I (Not felt) | 15.0 | March 16 |
| = 9 | 7.2 | 0 | United Kingdom Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | VIII (Severe) | 45.0 | September 17 |
| = 10 | 7.1 | 0 | Indonesia, south of Halmahera | VII (Very strong) | 30.0 | April 16 |
| = 10 | 7.1 | 0 | Indonesia, south of Halmahera | I (Not felt) | 30.0 | April 16 |
| = 11 | 7.0 | 0 | United Kingdom Fiji | III (Weak) | 570.0 | August 25 |
| = 11 | 7.0 | 0 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | V (Moderate) | 37.5 | October 12 |
| = 11 | 7.0 | 0 | Indonesia, Java Sea | I (Not felt) | 661.5 | December 15 |
* Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

## Notable events
### 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 | United States, south of Alaska Peninsula | 6.4 | 74.8 | | | | |
| 2 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | 6.0 | 25.0 | VI | | | |
| 5 | Indonesia, West Timor | 6.0 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 24 | Philippines, off the east coast of Mindanao | 6.0 | 50.0 | IV | | | |
| 28 | Australia, west of New Hanover Island, Papua and New Guinea | 6.5 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 28 | United States, south of Alaska Peninsula | 6.6 | 35.0 | V | | | |
| 31 | Japan, northwest of Ryukyu Islands | 6.7 | 50.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 5 | Chile, Araucanía Region | 6.4 | 25.0 | VII | | | |
| 6 | Chile, Araucanía Region | 6.0 | 25.0 | VI | Aftershock. | | |
| 13 | Taiwan, off the east coast of | 7.2 | 30.0 | VII | The 1963 Su-ao earthquake left 15 people dead and another 18 were injured. Some homes were destroyed. | 15 | 18 |
| 13 | United Kingdom, Solomon Islands | 6.4 | 20.0 | VI | | | |
| 14 | Indonesia, Barat Daya Islands | 6.6 | 220.0 | IV | | | |
| 14 | Australia, Madang Province, Papua and New Guinea | 6.1 | 64.7 | VI | | | |
| 21 | Kingdom of Libya, Marj District | 5.6 | 25.0 | VI | 300 people were killed and a further 375 were injured in the 1963 Marj earthquake. Many homes were damaged or destroyed. Costs reached $5 million (1963 rate). | 300 | 375 |
| 26 | Australia, Morobe Province, Papua and New Guinea | 7.5 | 186.6 | VI | | | |
| 27 | Australia, West New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea | 6.7 | 35.0 | VI | | | |

### 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 |
| 4 | Taiwan, off the east coast | 6.3 | 20.0 | VI | | | |
| 4 | Peru, off the north coast | 6.1 | 15.0 | V | | | |
| 10 | Taiwan, off the east coast | 6.1 | 15.0 | V | Aftershock. | | |
| 16 | Soviet Union, east of the Kuril Islands, Russia | 7.2 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 24 | Indonesia, northeast of Sumba | 6.3 | 20.0 | VI | | | |
| 24 | Iran, Kermanshah Province | 6.0 | 20.0 | VII | 100 people were killed and major damage was caused. | 100 | |
| 26 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 7.3 | 10.0 | | | | |
| 26 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.5 | 15.0 | | Aftershock. | | |
| 26 | Japan, off the west coast of Honshu | 6.3 | 15.0 | VI | | | |
| 28 | Iceland, off the north coast of | 6.9 | 10.0 | VII | | | |
| 31 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.6 | 35.0 | | Aftershock. | | |
| 31 | Australia, West New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea | 6.1 | 35.0 | V | | | |

### 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 |
| 7 | Indonesia, off the west coast of Sumatra | 6.1 | 59.4 | V | | | |
| 10 | Indonesia, Timor | 6.0 | 70.0 | V | | | |
| 13 | Peru, San Martin Region | 6.5 | 119.8 | V | | | |
| 13 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | 6.1 | 46.9 | VI | | | |
| 16 | Indonesia, south of Halmahera | 7.1 | 30.0 | rowspan="2"| Doublet earthquake. | | |
| 16 | Indonesia, south of Halmahera | 7.1 | 30.0 | VI | | |
| 19 | China, southern Qinghai Province | 6.7 | 20.0 | VIII | A few homes were damaged or destroyed. | | |
| 23 | China, Yunnan Province | 5.8 | 30.0 | VII | Some homes were destroyed. | | |
| 27 | Indonesia, Halmahera | 6.0 | 28.8 | VI | Aftershock. | | |
| 30 | Indonesia, southeast of Halmahera | 6.3 | 60.0 | V | Aftershock. | | |

### 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 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.8 | 142.9 | VI | | | |
| 8 | Japan, off the east coast of Honshu | 6.2 | 46.5 | V | | | |
| 9 | Nicaragua, León Department | 5.6 | 50.0 | V | Some damage was caused. | | |
| 10 | Ecuador, Morona-Santiago Province | 6.6 | 20.0 | VI | | | |
| 12 | United States, Kodiak Island, Alaska | 6.0 | 36.6 | IV | | | |
| 18 | Argentina, San Juan Province, Argentina | 6.0 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 19 | Chile, Aysén Region | 6.4 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 20 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.8 | 65.0 | | | | |
| 22 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | 6.9 | 30.0 | | | | |
| 26 | Soviet Union, Kamchatka, Russia | 6.1 | 30.0 | VI | | | |

### 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 |
| 4 | Indonesia, south of Halmahera | 6.1 | 30.0 | VI | | | |
| 7 | Tonga | 6.0 | 20.0 | | | | |
| 19 | Indonesia, Talaud Islands | 6.1 | 65.0 | V | | | |
| 21 | China, Heilongjiang Province | 5.9 | 35.0 | VII | Some damage was reported. | | |
| 24 | United States, Cook Inlet, Alaska | 6.3 | 45.0 | VII | | | |
| 26 | China, Xinjiang Province | 6.0 | 95.0 | | | | |
| 28 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | 6.9 | 25.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 4 | United Kingdom, south of Fiji | 6.8 | 181.3 | | | | |
| 9 | Costa Rica, off the south coast | 6.0 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 16 | Soviet Union, Abkhazia, Georgia | 6.4 | 30.0 | VII | | | |
| 19 | Ligurian Sea | 6.3 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 19 | Ligurian Sea | 6.1 | 15.0 | | This came a minute after the last event. | | |
| 26 | Yugoslavia, Skopje, Socialist Republic of Macedonia | 6.0 | 15.0 | X | This event struck directly under Skopje. 1,070 people were killed and 3,300 were injured. Extensive damage was caused with costs being $1 billion (1963 rate). | 1,070 | 3,300 |
| 29 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.6 | 25.0 | rowspan="2"| Doublet earthquake. | | |
| 30 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.5 | 25.0 | | | |

### 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 |
| 8 | Australia, East New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea | 6.0 | 50.0 | V | | | |
| 15 | Japan, off the east coast of Honshu | 6.5 | 35.0 | IV | | | |
| 15 | Peru, Puno Region | 7.7 | 550.0 | IV | Some damage was reported. | | |
| 17 | Japan, south of Kyushu | 6.4 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 25 | United Kingdom, Fiji | 7.0 | 570.0 | III | | | |
| 29 | China, southern Xinjiang Province | 6.5 | 15.0 | VII | 1 person died and 40 homes were destroyed. | 1 | |
| 29 | Peru, off the north coast | 6.6 | 25.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 9 | Australia, New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea | 6.2 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 15 | United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | 7.4 | 35.0 | IX | A large event followed a couple of days later. This is an example of a doublet earthquake. | | |
| 17 | Peru, off the central coast | 6.0 | 68.0 | VI | Foreshock. | | |
| 17 | United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | 7.2 | 45.0 | VIII | | | |
| 18 | Turkey, eastern Sea of Marmara | 6.2 | 30.0 | VI | 1 person was killed and at least 51 were injured. 7 homes were destroyed and 163 were damaged. | 1 | 51+ |
| 24 | Peru, off the central coast | 6.9 | 64.1 | VII | 1 person was killed and some damage was caused. | 1 | |

### 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 |
| 3 | Japan, off the east coast of Kyushu | 6.2 | 35.0 | V | | | |
| 12 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | 7.0 | 37.5 | V | Foreshock. | | |
| 13 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | 8.5 | 35.0 | IX | The 1963 Kuril Islands earthquake caused some property damage. A tsunami was observed. | | |
| 15 | Indonesia, Seram | 6.0 | 25.0 | VI | | | |
| 16 | Soviet Union, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, Tajikistan | 6.5 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 20 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | 7.8 | 28.2 | VI | Aftershock. | | |
| 31 | Tonga | 6.3 | 16.5 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 3 | Peru, Amazonas Region | 6.2 | 25.0 | VI | | | |
| 4 | Indonesia, Banda Sea | 8.1 | 65.0 | VIII | Some damage was caused. | | |
| 6 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | 6.3 | 25.0 | VI | | | |
| 9 | Brazil, Acre (state) | 7.6 | 590.7 | | | | |
| 10 | Brazil, Acre (state) | 6.3 | 593.9 | | Aftershock. | | |
| 10 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | 6.5 | 21.2 | | Aftershock. | | |
| 18 | Mexico, Gulf of California | 6.4 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 23 | Mexico, Gulf of California | 6.1 | 15.0 | | Aftershock. | | |

### 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 |
| 3 | Chile, Antofagasta Region | 6.3 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 15 | Indonesia, Java Sea | 7.0 | 661.5 | | | | |
| 16 | Indonesia, Sunda Strait | 6.5 | 45.0 | VI | Some homes were damaged. | | |
| 18 | United Kingdom, south of Fiji | 7.6 | 55.0 | VIII | | | |