# List of earthquakes in 1988

This is a list of earthquakes in 1988. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury, or damage. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Maximum intensities are indicated on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale and are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) ShakeMap or the National Geophysical Data Center. Earthquake activity in 1988 was relatively low, with only 11 major events and none of magnitude 8.0+ occurring. Nevertheless, extremely destructive events took place in Burma, Nepal, China and Armenia. Burma saw two deadly earthquakes just a few months apart with the latter (on the Chinese border) claiming the lives of nearly a thousand. The Armenia earthquake in December was the deadliest earthquake in this year, with more than 25,000 deaths recorded. Early this year, Australia was also struck by an unusual series of strong earthquakes.

## Overall
### By death toll

| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 25,000 – 50,000 | 6.8 | Soviet Union, Soviet Armenia | X (Extreme) | 5.4 | December 7 |
| 2 | 938 | 7.7 | China, Burma, Myanmar–China border region | X (Extreme) | 17.8 | November 6 |
| 3 | 709 | 6.9 | Nepal, Province No. 1 | VIII (Severe) | 57.4 | August 20 |
| 4 | 74 | 4.3 (explosion) | Papua New Guinea | - ( ) | − | September 9 |
| 5 | 33 | 7.3 | Myanmar, Sagaing Region | VI (Strong) | 90.5 | August 6 |
* Note: At least 10 casualties

### By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| = 1 | 7.8 | 0 | United States, Gulf of Alaska | V (Moderate) | 10.0 | March 6 |
| = 2 | 7.7 | 938 | China, Burma, Myanmar–China border region | X (Extreme) | 17.8 | November 6 |
| = 3 | 7.6 | 0 | Solomon Islands, offshore | VII (Very strong) | 34.0 | August 10 |
| = 4 | 7.3 | 33 | Burma, Sagaing Region | VI (Strong) | 90.5 | August 6 |
| = 4 | 7.3 | 0 | Philippines, offshore Catanduanes | VII (Very strong) | 24.9 | February 2 |
| = 5 | 7.2 | 0 | Chile, Antofagasta | VII (Very strong) | 36.9 | February 5 |
| = 6 | 7.1 | 0 | Tonga offshore | - ( ) | 35.2 | October 8 |
| = 6 | 7.1 | 0 | Peru offshore | - ( ) | 33.1 | April 12 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 0 | Indonesia, Maluku Islands | VI (Strong) | 27.7 | July 25 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 0 | Papua New Guinea, New Britain region | - ( ) | 16.6 | July 23 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 0 | Chile, Antofagasta | VII (Very strong) | 33.0 | January 19 |
* 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 |
| 2 | Japan, Hokkaido | 6.0 | 117.1 | IV | | - | - |
| 3 | China, Nei Mongol-Ningxia border region | 5.2 | 14.3 | VI | 16 livestock killed and more than 10,000 homes collapsed. | - | 60 |
| 9 | Albania | 5.9 | 24.0 | VII | Damage to properties reported in Tirana and the surrounding villages. | - | - |
| 12 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.6 | 14.8 | - | | - | - |
| 15 | Tonga | 6.4 | 213.7 | - | | - | - |
| 19 | Chile, Antofagasta | 7.0 | 33.0 | V | | - | - |
| 21 | Vanuatu | 6.2 | 44.2 | - | | - | - |
| 22 | Australia, Northern Territory | 6.3 | 5.0 | VII | The first in a series of triplet earthquakes known as the 1988 Tennant Creek earthquakes. | - | - |
| 22 | Australia, Northern Territory | 6.3 | 5.0 | VIII | Second Tennant Creek earthquake mainshock. | - | - |
| 22 | Australia, Northern Territory | 6.7 | 5.0 | IX | The largest earthquake in Australia ever recorded and the largest of the Tennant Creek earthquake sequence. Damaged pipelines were reported and a hospital was damaged. Total damage amounted to $2.5 million. | | |
| 29 | Tonga | 6.0 | 106.2 | - | | - | - |

### 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, Antofagasta | 7.2 | 36.9 | VII | Second mainshock, caused some damages in Taltal. A tsunami of 10 cm was reported. | - | - |
| 5 | Chile, near the coast of Antofagasta | 6.5 | 30.7 | VI | Aftershock of the 7.2 earthquake nearly five hours later. | - | - |
| 6 | Bangladesh, India-Bangladesh border region | 5.9 | 33.0 | VI | Damage reported in Sylhel. Felt throughout the country, and in Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya, India. | 2 | 100 |
| 6 | Indonesia, Kepulauan Tanimbar | 6.2 | 38.5 | - | | - | - |
| 6 | Bolivia, Oruro | 6.5 | 285.2 | - | | - | - |
| 6 | Tonga | 6.2 | 125.5 | - | | - | - |
| 7 | United States, 75 km WNW of Ninilchik, Alaska | 6.4 | 134.0 | V | | - | - |
| 7 | United States, south of the Aleutian Islands | 6.4 | 33.0 | - | | - | - |
| 13 | Soviet Union, Kazakhstan | 6.1 | - | - | Nuclear explosion | - | - |
| 16 | United States, Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 6.0 | 33.0 | - | | - | - |
| 20 | Indonesia, Kepulauan Barat Daya | 6.5 | 314.5 | IV | | - | - |
| 22 | Chile, Tarapaca | 6.7 | 70.3 | VII | | - | - |
| 24 | Philippines, Catanduanes | 7.3 | 24.9 | VII | | - | - |
| 26 | Southwest Indian Ridge | 6.8 | 10.0 | - | | - | - |
| 29 | Soviet Union, Komandorskiye Ostrova | 6.9 | 33.0 | - | | - | - |

### 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 |
| 6 | United States, Gulf of Alaska | 7.8 | 10.0 | V | It is the largest earthquake of the year. Damage to the vessels Exxon North Slope, Exxon Boston and Exxon New Orleans amounted to some US$5,000. A tsunami of 38 cm was recorded. | - | - |
| 6 | United States, Gulf of Alaska | 6.2 | 10.0 | - | Aftershock | - | - |
| 10 | Trinidad and Tobago offshore | 6.7 | 56.2 | VI | | - | - |
| 10 | Fiji | 6.6 | 623.0 | - | | - | - |
| 11 | Costa Rica, Panama-Costa Rica border region | 6.0 | 22.5 | VI | | - | - |
| 18 | Bismarck Sea | 6.2 | 33.0 | - | | - | - |
| 21 | Laptev Sea | 6.5 | 10.0 | - | | - | - |
| 23 | northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 6.2 | 10.0 | - | | - | - |
| 25 | Canada, Northwest Territories | 6.2 | 10.0 | - | | - | - |
| 30 | Iran | 5.9 | 32.9 | VI | Some damage reported | - | - |

### 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 | Tonga | 6.3 | 33.0 | - | | - | - |
| 4 | Soviet Union, Kazakhstan | 6.1 | 0.0 | - | Nuclear explosion | - | - |
| 4 | Japan, Kyushu offshore | 6.0 | 39.3 | V | | - | - |
| 8 | Papua New Guinea, near the north coast of New Guinea | 6.4 | 32.3 | - | | - | - |
| 8 | Papua New Guinea, near the north coast of New Guinea | 6.1 | 33.0 | - | Aftershock | - | - |
| 12 | Peru offshore southern coast | 7.1 | 33.1 | VII | | - | - |
| 13 | Peru offshore southern coast | 6.2 | 16.1 | V | Aftershock | - | - |
| 17 | United Kingdom, South Sandwich Islands region | 6.3 | 33.0 | - | | - | - |
| 25 | Solomon Islands | 6.3 | 44.3 | V | | - | - |

### 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 Kingdom, South Sandwich Islands region | 6.2 | 137.9 | - | | - | - |
| 3 | New Caledonia, southeast of the Loyalty Islands | 6.1 | 10.8 | - | | - | - |
| 4 | Soviet Union, Kazakhstan | 6.1 | 0.0 | - | Nuclear explosion | - | - |
| 4 | Northern Mariana Islands, Pagan region | 6.4 | 122.5 | - | | - | - |
| 5 | Chile, Easter Island region | 6.3 | 10.0 | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | Chile, Easter Island region | 6.1 | 10.0 | - | Aftershock | - | - |
| 6 | Nicaragua | 6.6 | 86.7 | VI | | - | - |
| 6 | Japan, Hokkaido | 6.0 | 72.3 | V | | - | - |
| 20 | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 6.1 | 10.0 | - | | - | - |
| 21 | Chile, offshore Valparaiso | 6.1 | 42.1 | VI | | - | - |
| 22 | United States, Unimak Island region | 6.0 | 33.0 | - | | - | - |
| 30 | Indonesia, Kepulauan Barat Daya | 6.9 | 86.3 | 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 |
| 3 | New Zealand, South Island | 6.7 | 82.7 | VI | | - | - |
| 5 | Vanuatu | 6.5 | 110.2 | V | | - | - |
| 11 | Western Samoa | 6.3 | 35.7 | | | - | - |
| 12 | Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz Islands | 6.5 | 14.4 | VI | | - | - |
| 18 | Mexico, Gulf of California | 6.7 | 10.0 | VI | | - | - |
| 19 | Philippines, Mindoro | 6.2 | 16.7 | VII | Damage was reported during the 1988 Mindoro earthquake. | 2 | 4 |
| 24 | Philippines, Luzon | 5.7 | 53.4 | V | Some damage reported in Laoag. | - | - |
| 27 | Vanuatu | 6.0 | 65.7 | - | | - | - |
| 28 | Australia, west of Macquarie Island | 6.0 | 10.0 | - | | - | - |

### 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 |
| 2 | Vanuatu | 6.3 | 142.7 | IV | | - | - |
| 3 | Federated States of Micronesia, State of Yap | 6.6 | 14.6 | - | | - | - |
| 5 | Papua New Guinea, New Britain region | 6.8 | 53.4 | VI | Some damage was reported. Triggered a tsunami. | - | - |
| 6 | Japan, Hokkaido | 6.3 | 30.1 | - | | - | - |
| 11 | Philippines, Mindanao | 6.0 | 66.9 | - | | - | - |
| 18 | Soviet Union, Komandorskiye Ostrova | 6.0 | 23.2 | - | | - | - |
| 19 | Tonga | 6.4 | 137.0 | - | | - | - |
| 20 | Taiwan | 5.9 | 50.8 | V | Landslides blocked a highway between Hua-lien and Su-hua. | 1 | 1 |
| 23 | New Caledonia, southeast of the Loyalty Islands | 6.6 | 18.5 | - | | - | - |
| 23 | Papua New Guinea, New Britain region | 7.0 | 16.6 | - | | - | - |
| 25 | Indonesia, Kepulauan Aru region | 7.0 | 27.7 | VI | | - | - |
| 27 | Vanuatu | 6.7 | 171.6 | IV | | - | - |
| 27 | Vanuatu | 6.0 | 176.8 | - | Aftershock | - | - |
| 28 | Bolivia, Potosi | 6.2 | 279.3 | - | | - | - |
| 31 | New Caledonia, southeast of the Loyalty Islands | 6.6 | 55.5 | - | | - | - |

### 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 | Burma, Sagaing Region | 7.3 | 90.5 | | Although the 1988 Myanmar–India earthquake had an epicenter in Burma, much of the devastation was in neighboring India and Bangladesh. A seiche occurred in a river which capsized a ferry, killing three and leaving 30 injured or missing. This earthquake was felt in Nepal and the Soviet Union. | 33 | 30 |
| 6 | Papua New Guinea, New Britain region | 6.1 | 25.1 | | | - | - |
| 6 | Afghanistan, Hindu Kush region | 6.3 | 195.0 | | | - | - |
| 10 | Solomon Islands | 7.6 | 34.0 | | Earthquake generated a tsunami which killed one and destroyed homes in 13 villages. | 1 | - |
| 10 | Solomon Islands | 6.6 | 39.8 | VI | Aftershock | - | - |
| 10 | Chile, Easter Island region | 6.0 | 10.0 | - | | - | - |
| 10 | Vanuatu | 6.8 | 124.8 | VI | | - | - |
| 11 | Mauritius – Reunion region | 6.2 | 10.0 | - | | - | - |
| 11 | Iran | 6.1 | 33.0 | VII | Some damage reported. | 1 | - |
| 14 | Sea of Okhotsk | 6.1 | 644.8 | - | | - | - |
| 14 | Chile, offshore Atacama | 6.7 | 32.5 | VI | | - | - |
| 15 | Philippines, Mindanao | 6.1 | 52.0 | V | | - | - |
| 17 | Indonesia, Java | 6.0 | 27.1 | V | | - | - |
| 17 | Chile, offshore Atacama | 6.1 | 38.5 | VI | Aftershock | - | - |
| 20 | Nepal, Nepal-India border region | 6.9 | 57.4 | VIII | The 1988 Nepal earthquake killed between 706 and 1,091 people on both sides of the Nepal-India border. The damage cost was about $131.5 million. A seiche in the Jamuna River killed 2 and left many missing. | 706-1,091 | Many |

### 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 |
| 6 | Papua New Guinea, eastern New Guinea region | 4.3 | 0.0 | | The Kaiapit Landslide occurred on the Saruwaged Range where 1.3 billion m$^3$ of debris flowed through two river valleys, killing 74 people. The landslide was registered on a seismograph. | 74 | |
| 7 | Japan, Izu Islands | 6.7 | 485.1 | | | | |
| 14 | Soviet Union, Kazakhstan | 6.1 | 0.0 | | Nuclear explosion | | |
| 14 | Chile, Antofagasta | 6.0 | 122.6 | | | | |
| 15 | Ecuador | 6.2 | 170.2 | | | | |

### 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 | southern East Pacific Rise | 6.3 | 10.0 | | | | |
| 4 | Papua New Guinea, New Ireland region | 6.1 | 28.5 | | | | |
| 8 | Tonga region | 7.1 | 35.2 | | | | |
| 10 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.3 | 27.7 | | | | |
| 16 | Taiwan region | 6.0 | 33.0 | V | | | |

### 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 | United Kingdom, South Sandwich Islands region | 6.3 | 33.0 | | | | |
| 3 | Guatemala | 6.6 | 68.5 | VII | About 100 buildings damaged. Landslides and damage to roads. Felt in El Salvador, and Mexico. | 5 | |
| 3 | United States, Puerto Rico region | 6.0 | 33.3 | V | Minor damage at Catano, Puerto Rico. | | |
| 5 | China, southern Qinghai | 6.2 | 7.6 | IX | | | |
| 5 | New Caledonia, southeast of the Loyalty Islands | 6.2 | 42.3 | | | | |
| 6 | China, Myanmar, Myanmar-China border region | 7.7 | 17.8 | IX-X | The 1988 Lancang earthquake is the largest and deadliest earthquake in Yunnan since 1970. Heavy damage and casualties were reported in Lancang and Mangliang county where over 200,000 buildings were destroyed. The earthquake could be felt in Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Total cost of damage is around US$270 million. | 938 | 3,900 |
| 6 | China, Myanmar, Myanmar-China border region | 6.4 | 10.0 | VIII | Aftershock | | |
| 7 | Fiji | 6.8 | 21.8 | | | | |
| 7 | Molucca Sea | 6.0 | 65.7 | | | | |
| 10 | China, Guangxi | 4.6 | 10.0 | IV | Damage in Qinzhou and Fangcheng. | | 71 |
| 14 | Papua New Guinea, New Ireland region | 6.7 | 33.0 | | | | |
| 17 | Philippines, Samar | 6.6 | 19.3 | VII | Damage in Catarman. | | 29 |
| 18 | Papua New Guinea, New Britain region | 6.6 | 61.0 | VI | | | |
| 20 | southeast Indian Ridge | 6.1 | 10.0 | | | | |
| 25 | southeast Indian Ridge | 6.3 | 10.0 | | | | |
| 25 | Canada, Saguenay Valley region, Quebec | 5.9 | 28.9 | VII | 1988 Saguenay earthquake | | |
| 30 | China, Myanmar, Myanmar-China border region | 6.1 | 10.0 | VII | Several people injured and unconfirmed reports of nearly 10 people killed. | | |

### 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 |
| 5 | Tonga | 6.4 | 40.1 | | | | |
| 7 | Soviet Union, Armenia | 6.8 | 5.4 | X | The 1988 Armenian earthquake was the deadliest earthquake of 1988. With an epicenter in what is now Armenia, it seriously damaged and destroyed thousands of homes and public infrastructures, killing at least 25,000 and injuring 31,000. | 25,000 | 31,000 |
| 8 | Panama | 6.2 | 10.0 | | | | |
| 12 | Norway, Jan Mayen Island region | 6.0 | 10.0 | | | | |
| 23 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.4 | 30.7 | | | | |
| 24 | Argentina, Jujuy | 6.1 | 193.6 | | | | |