# List of earthquakes in 1996

This is a list of earthquakes in 1996. 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 | 322 | 6.6 | China, Yunnan | X (Extreme) | 11.0 | February 3 |
| 2 | 108 | 8.1 | Indonesia, Biak Island | IX (Violent) | 20.0 | February 17 |
| 3 | 26 | 6.4 | China, Inner Mongolia | VIII (Severe) | 26.0 | May 3 |
| 4 | 14 | 7.7 | Peru, Nazca | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | November 12 |
| 5 | 12 | 7.4 | Peru, Chimbote | IV (Light) | 10.0 | February 21 |

## By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 8.2 | 166 | Indonesia, Biak Region offshore | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | February 17 |
| 2 | 7.9 | 0 | United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 33.0 | June 10 |
| 2 | 7.9 | 9 | Indonesia, Sulawesi offshore | X (Extreme) | 24.0 | January 1 |
| 2 | 7.9 | 0 | Indonesia, Flores Sea offshore | IV (Light) | 587.3 | June 17 |
| 5 | 7.7 | 14 | Peru, Nazca offshore | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | November 12 |
| 6 | 7.4 | 0 | Fiji Region offshore | II (Weak) | 550.2 | August 5 |
| 7 | 7.3 | 0 | United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 26.3 | June 10 |
| 8 | 7.2 | 0 | Russia, Kuril Islands offshore | VI (Strong) | 42.6 | February 7 |
| 8 | 7.2 | 0 | Fiji Region offshore | I (Not Felt) | 110.9 | April 16 |
| 8 | 7.2 | 1 | Papua New Guinea, Bougainville Island offshore | VIII (Severe) | 44.0 | April 29 |
| 11 | 7.1 | 0 | Philippines, Eastern Visayas offshore | VI (Strong) | 33.0 | June 11 |
| 11 | 7.1 | 0 | Mexico, Oaxaca offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 21.1 | February 25 |
| 13 | 7.0 | 0 | Mid-Atlantic Ridge | I (Not Felt) | 10.0 | June 2 |
| 13 | 7.0 | 0 | Indonesia, Sulawesi offshore | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | July 22 |

## 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 | Tonga offshore, 65 km S of Pangai | 6.0 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 1 | Indonesia offshore, 181 km North of Palu | 7.9 | 24.0 | X | The 1996 Sulawesi earthquake damaged 350 buildings and created a tsunami up to 4 m (13 ft), 9 people were Killed and 67 people were injured. | 9 | 67 |
| 1 | Russia, 106 km Northeast of Yelizovo | 6.6 | 33.0 | VII | - | - | - |
| 8 | Russia, Sakhalinskaya Oblast | 5.6 | 7.8 | VII | Fourteen houses were damaged at Okha. | - | - |
| 17 | Indonesia, Papua Region | 6.1 | 109.1 | V | - | - | - |
| 22 | South Sandwich Islands region | 6.2 | 10.1 | I | - | - | - |
| 27 | Philippines, Surigao del Sur | 6.0 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 30 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands offshore | 6.1 | 14.2 | I | - | - | - |
| 30 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands offshore | 6.4 | 33.0 | IV | - | - | - |
| 31 | Russia, Kuril Islands | 6.0 | 20.6 | III | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 1 | Russia, offshore, 93 km Northeast of Otrada | 6.2 | 170.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 3 | China, 47 km North of Lijiang | 6.6 | 11.1 | X | The 1996 Lijiang earthquake left over 1 million buildings damaged or destroyed, this left 322 people dead and 16,925 injured, about 3,000 of them seriously. | 322 | 16,925 |
| 7 | Indonesia, Central Sulawesi | 6.1 | 13.8 | VI | - | - | - |
| 7 | Russia, Offshore, 158 km east of Kamchatka | 7.2 | 42.6 | VI | Some damage was reported. | - | - |
| 7 | Russia, Offshore, 176 km SE of Kuril’sk | 6.0 | 33.0 | II | - | - | - |
| 9 | Papua New Guinea, 89 km NNW of Lae | 6.1 | 68.5 | V | - | - | - |
| 12 | Indonesia, offshore, 232 km SW of Waingapu | 6.1 | 8.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 16 | North of Ascension Island | 6.6 | 10.6 | I | - | - | - |
| 16 | Tonga, offshore, 96 km NE of Hihifo | 6.0 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 16 | Japan, offshore, 123 km East of Namie | 6.7 | 40.8 | VI | At least 4 people were Injured. | - | 4 |
| 17 | Indonesia, offshore, 101 km Northeast of Biak | 8.1 | 33.0 | IX | The 1996 Biak earthquake caused severe damage mostly by a 7-meter (23 ft) high tsunami, 166 people were Killed and 423 people were injured. | 166 | 423 |
| 21 | Peru, Ancash offshore | 7.5 | 10.0 | VI | 7 people were killed and 2 more people were injured due to a tsunami off the coast after the 1996 Chimbote earthquake. | 7 | 2 |
| 25 | Mexico, Oaxaca offshore | 7.1 | 21.1 | VII | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 3 | Nicaragua, Managua offshore | 6.6 | 33.0 | VI | Doublet earthquake, some buildings were damaged in Managua. | - | - |
| 3 | Nicaragua, Managua offshore | 6.7 | 33.0 | VII | Doublet earthquake, some buildings were damaged in Managua. | - | - |
| 17 | Vanuatu, Port-Olry offshore | 6.7 | 164.4 | V | - | - | - |
| 19 | China, Xinjiang | 6.3 | 28.2 | VI | At least 24 people were killed, 128 were injured and more than 15,314 houses were damaged or destroyed in Artux. | 24 | 128 |
| 22 | United States, Alaska, Rat Islands offshore | 6.8 | 20.4 | I | - | - | - |
| 28 | Ecuador, Cotopaxi | 6.0 | 33.0 | VI | At least 27 people were killed, about 100 were injured, several thousand were left homeless and considerable damage and destruction to homes occurred. | 27 | 100 |

### 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 |
| 16 | Fiji Islands offshore | 7.2 | 110.9 | I | - | - | - |
| 19 | Chile, Antofagasta | 6.6 | 49.5 | VII | - | - | - |
| 29 | Papua New Guinea, Bougainville Island | 7.2 | 44.0 | VIII | One person was killed and several dozen houses collapsed in Bougainville. | 1 | - |

### 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 |
| 2 | Papua New Guinea, Bougainville Island offshore | 6.6 | 500.0 | III | - | - | - |
| 3 | China, Inner Mongolia | 6.0 | 26.0 | VII | At least 26 people were killed, 453 were injured and extensive damage caused by the 1996 Baotou earthquake | 26 | 453 |
| 3 | United States, Washington | 5.4 | 3.8 | VIII | Two people were injured and slight damage occurred in the epicentral area. | - | 2 |

### 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 |
| 1 | China, Inner Mongolia | 5.2 | 10.0 | V | Some houses were damaged in Tianzhu county. | - | - |
| 2 | Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 7.0 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 10 | Vanuatu, Ureparapara offshore | 6.7 | 200.1 | IV | - | - | - |
| 10 | United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands offshore | 7.9 | 33.0 | VIII | A tsunami was observed with heights up to 1.02 m (3.3 ft) in Adak Island. | - | - |
| 10 | United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands offshore | 7.3 | 26.3 | VII | It was an aftershock of the 7.9 earthquake that same day. | - | - |
| 11 | Philippines, Eastern Visayas offshore | 7.1 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 17 | Indonesia, Molucca Sea | 7.9 | 587.3 | IV | Some damage occurred at Kupang. | - | - |
| 21 | Russia, Kamchatka offshore | 6.7 | 20.0 | IV | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 6 | Mariana Islands region | 6.2 | 241.1 | I | - | - | - |
| 15 | Northern Mariana Islands, Pagan region | 6.3 | 176.5 | I | - | - | - |
| 15 | Mexico, Guerrero | 6.8 | 18.3 | VI | Felt strongly in Acapulco and Mexico City. | - | - |
| 16 | Russia, Kamchatka Peninsula | 6.5 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 16 | Indonesia, Palu, Central Sulawesi | 6.6 | 33.0 | VI | Some damage in Tolitoli. | - | - |
| 20 | Greece, Dodecanese Islands | 6.2 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 22 | Indonesia, Palu, Central Sulawesi | 7.0 | 33.0 | VI | Some damage in Tolitoli. | - | - |
| 23 | South of the Fiji Islands | 6.5 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 23 | South of the Fiji Islands | 6.2 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 25 | Southern East Pacific Rise | 6.1 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 28 | Indonesia, Palu, Central Sulawesi | 6.0 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 30 | Philippines, Sabang | 6.1 | 33.0 | V | Some damage in Palawan. | - | - |

### 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 |
| 2 | Solomon Islands, Kirakira | 6.9 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 5 | Tonga, 104 km NE of Hihifo | 6.7 | 41.2 | III | - | - | - |
| 5 | Ecuador, Salinas | 6.3 | 33.0 | VI | Felt in Guayas and Manabi Provinces. | - | - |
| 5 | Fiji | 7.4 | 550.2 | II | - | - | - |
| 10 | Papua New Guinea, Kokopo | 6.2 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 10 | Japan, Akite Prefecture | 6.0 | 10.0 | VI | Six people injured in northeastern Yamagata Prefecture. Four people injured and fifteen houses damaged in Miyagi Prefecture. | - | 10 |
| 11 | Vanuatu, 107 km WNW of Sola | 6.1 | 99.8 | V | - | - | - |
| 12 | Molucca Sea | 6.0 | 42.3 | I | - | - | - |
| 15 | Vanuatu, 99 km NW of Sola | 6.2 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 19 | Alaska, Andreanof Islands, Aleutian Islands | 6.0 | 33.0 | III | - | - | - |
| 19 | South Indian Ocean | 6.1 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 22 | Flores Sea | 6.0 | 595.7 | I | - | - | - |
| 27 | Mid-Indian Ridge | 6.0 | 10.0 | I | | | |

### 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 |
| 4 | Costa Rica, Quepos | 6.2 | 32.5 | VI | - | - | - |
| 5 | Easter Island region | 6.9 | 10.0 | I | Local tsunami generated with maximum recorded wave heights (peak-to-trough) of 18 cm on Easter Island. | - | - |
| 5 | Easter Island region | 6.2 | 10.0 | I | Aftershock from the 6.9 the hour prior | - | - |
| 5 | Croatia, Ston–Slano | 6.0 | 10.0 | VII | Several people injured, 2,000 left homeless and extensive damage (VIII) in the Ston-Slano area, Croatia. | - | 2 |
| 5 | Taiwan, Lan Yun | 6.8 | 20.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 6 | Solomon Sea | 6.2 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 9 | Chile, Coquimbo Region | 6.0 | 39.0 | VI | Some adobe houses damaged in the epicentral area. | - | - |
| 11 | Japan, Chiba Prefecture | 6.2 | 55.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 14 | Solomon Islands, Lata | 6.4 | 72.7 | VI | - | - | - |
| 20 | Philippines, Surigao del Sur | 6.4 | 33.0 | VI | Foreshock to the 6.6 three hours later. | - | - |
| 20 | Philippines, Surigao del Sur | 6.6 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 20 | Philippines, Surigao del Sur | 6.1 | 33.0 | V | An aftershock to the 6.6 earlier in the day. | - | - |
| 28 | Philippines, Surigao del Norte | 6.3 | 234.8 | IV | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 1 | Owen Fracture Zone | 6.4 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 2 | Eastern Samar | 6.4 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 2 | Russia, Kuril Islands | 6.0 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 6 | Canada, Vancouver | 6.2 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 8 | Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge | 6.1 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 9 | Cyprus | 6.8 | 33.0 | VI | One person died of a heart attack and twenty others injured on Cyprus. One person killed in Egypt. Felt in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. | 2 | 20 |
| 10 | Indonesia, North Sumatra | 6.3 | 33.0 | VI | Felt as far away as Malaysia. | - | - |
| 12 | Papua New Guinea, Bouganville | 6.1 | 33.0 | VI | Foreshock to the 6.8 two days later. | - | - |
| 14 | Papua New Guinea, Bouganville | 6.8 | 24.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 17 | Philippines, Davao Occidental | 6.0 | 116.8 | IV | - | - | - |
| 18 | Japan, Kagoshima Prefecture | 6.6 | 10.0 | VII | Local tsunami generated with wave heights up to 17 cm recorded on Tanega-shima. | - | - |
| 19 | Japan, Miyazaki Prefecture | 6.7 | 22.0 | VII | Tsunami generated with recorded wave heights of 110 cm at Miyazaki, 40 cm at Nichinan and 14 cm on Tanega-shima. Minor tsunami also observed on Shikoku. | - | - |
| 19 | Fiji region | 6.9 | 590.8 | I | - | - | - |
| 24 | Russia, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug | 6.1 | 19.9 | VII | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 4 | Colombia, Choco | 6.3 | 14.0 | VII | - | - | - |
| 5 | New Zealand, Kermadec Island Region | 6.8 | 369.4 | V | - | - | - |
| 5 | Philippines, Surigao del Nortel | 6.0 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 6 | Japan, Bonin Islands | 6.6 | 9.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 7 | Philippines, Surigao del Nortel | 6.1 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 11 | New Zealand, Kermadec Island Region | 6.2 | 33.0 | I | Aftershock from the 6.8 six days prior. | - | - |
| 11 | Myanmar, Magway | 6.0 | 80.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 12 | Peru, Ica | 7.7 | 33.0 | VII | At least 14 people killed, 560 injured and 12,000 homeless from Chincha Alta to Acari. Over 4,000 houses damaged or destroyed at Nazca. Tsunami generated with maximum recorded wave heights (peak-to-trough) of 25 cm at Callao, Peru; 35 cm at Arica and 21 cm at Caldera, Chile. | 14 | 560 |
| 13 | Peru, Ica | 6.1 | 33.0 | VI | An aftershock of the 7.7 the day prior. | - | - |
| 13 | Peru, Ica | 6.0 | 33.0 | V | An aftershock of the 7.7 the day prior. | - | - |
| 14 | Solomon Islands | 6.0 | 109.2 | I | - | - | - |
| 14 | Tonga region | 6.2 | 191.6 | I | - | - | - |
| 16 | France, Wallis and Futuna | 6.0 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 17 | Nicaragua, Rivas | 6.0 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 17 | Fiji region | 6.1 | 591.6 | I | - | - | - |
| 19 | India, Ladakh | 6.9 | 33.0 | VII | - | - | - |
| 20 | Japan, Izu Islands | 6.1 | 33.0 | III | Felt in Tokyo. | - | - |
| 28 | Central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 6.3 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 1 | New Zealand, Kermadec Island Region | 6.2 | 355.8 | I | - | - | - |
| 2 | Japan, Miyazaki Prefecture | 6.7 | 49.2 | VI | Local tsunami observed with maximum recorded wave heights (peak-to-trough) of 21 cm in the Nichinan-Aburatsu area and 4 cm in the Hyuga-Hososhima area. | - | - |
| 3 | Tonga region | 6.2 | 32.7 | I | - | - | - |
| 9 | Indonesia, West Java | 6.1 | 50.9 | V | - | - | - |
| 9 | Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 6.0 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 10 | Central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 6.7 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 22 | Japan, Hokkaido | 6.5 | 226.5 | IV | - | - | - |
| 26 | Indonesia, Papua | 6.3 | 33.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 30 | Indonesia, Maluku | 6.0 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 31 | Mexico, Chiapas | 6.4 | 99.5 | VI | Felt as far as Mexico City. | - | - |

## List

* 1996 Sulawesi earthquake (M7.9, Jan 1)
* 1996 Lijiang earthquake (M7.0, Feb 3)
* 1996 Biak earthquake (M8.1, Feb 17)
* 1996 Chimbote earthquake (M7.4, Feb 21)
* 1996 Baotou earthquake (M6.4, May 3)
* 1996 Nazca earthquake (M7.5, Nov 12)
| Date | Time | Place | Lat. | Long. | Deaths | Magnitude | Comments | Sources | Main article |
| February 3, 1996 | 19:14 local time | Lijiang, Yunnan, China | 27.30 | 100.29 | 322 | 6.6 | M$_w$ | USGS | 1996 Lijiang earthquake |
| February 17, 1996 | 05:59 | Near Biak Island, Indonesia | −0.891 | 136.952 | 108 | 8.1 | M$_w$ | | 1996 Biak earthquake |
| May 3, 1996 | 03:32 UTC | Near Baotou, China | 40.774 | 109.661 | 26 | 6.4 | M$_s$ | | 1996 Baotou earthquake |
| November 12, 1996 | 16:59 UTC | Near Nazca, Peru | −14.993 | 75.675 | 14 | 7.5 | M$_w$ | USGS | 1996 Nazca earthquake |