# List of earthquakes in 1954

This is a list of earthquakes in 1954. 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. The year was characterized by a lack of large events. The largest event of magnitude 7.8 occurred in Spain, albeit a rare event for the area, there were no deaths due to its depth. A significant quake struck Nevada in December. With a magnitude of 7.3, this was one of the largest in the state's history. Total lives lost in the year amounted to 1,295. The vast majority of these came from Algeria, which suffered one of its worst disasters in September.

## Overall
### By death toll

| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 1,243 | 6.7 | France, Chlef Province, Algeria | XI (Extreme) | 15.0 | September 9 |
| 2 | 31 | 6.7 | Greece, Thessaly | X (Extreme) | 10.0 | April 30 |
| 3 | 13 | 6.6 | Philippines, southeast Luzon | IX (Violent) | 15.0 | July 2 |
* Note: At least 10 casualties

### By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 7.8 | 0 | Spain, Andalusia | IV (Light) | 626.2 | March 29 |
| 2 | 7.4 | 0 | Burma, Sagaing Region | ( ) | 183.9 | March 21 |
| 3 | 7.3 | 0 | United States, central Nevada | X (Extreme) | 15.0 | December 16 |
| = 4 | 7.2 | 0 | Japan, Volcano Islands | ( ) | 15.0 | February 1 |
| = 4 | 7.2 | 0 | Mexico, Gulf of California | VII (Very strong) | 10.0 | April 29 |
| 5 | 7.1 | 0 | Owen fracture zone | ( ) | 15.0 | March 31 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 0 | China, Gansu Province | X (Extreme) | 25.0 | February 11 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 0 | Indonesia, Banda Sea | ( ) | 540.5 | February 20 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 0 | United Kingdom, South Sandwich Islands | ( ) | 120.0 | February 22 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 0 | Fiji | ( ) | 256.6 | September 17 |
* 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 | Indonesia, Flores | 6.2 | 60.0 | V | | | |
| 12 | New Zealand, south of South Island | 6.5 | 35.0 | | Beginning of a series of events. | | |
| 12 | New Zealand, south of South Island | 6.8 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 13 | New Zealand, south of South Island | 6.7 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 28 | Mexico, off the coast of Guerrero | 6.0 | 0.0 | | Unknown depth. | | |

### 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 | Japan, Volcano Islands | 7.2 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 5 | Australia, New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea | 6.7 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 5 | Mexico, Chiapas | 6.2 | 117.5 | | 6 people were killed. Damage costs were around $17 million (1954 rate). | 6 | |
| 11 | China, Gansu Province | 7.0 | 25.0 | X | Many homes were destroyed. | | |
| 19 | Nicaragua, off the west coast | 6.8 | 35.0 | rowspan="2"| Doublet earthquake. | | |
| 19 | Nicaragua, off the west coast | 6.8 | 35.0 | VI | | |
| 19 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.6 | 25.0 | | | | |
| 19 | Mexico, Michoacan | 6.0 | 85.0 | | | | |
| 20 | Indonesia, Banda Sea | 7.0 | 540.5 | | | | |
| 22 | United Kingdom, South Sandwich Islands | 7.0 | 120.0 | | | | |
| 23 | India, Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh | 6.2 | 15.0 | VI | Border region between the two countries. | | |
| 28 | Japan, Ryukyu Islands | 6.5 | 20.0 | | | | |
| 28 | Australia, east of Adelaide | 5.4 | 4.0 | VIII | Some damage was caused in the 1954 Adelaide earthquake. This was one of the strongest events in the area. | | |

### 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 | Australia, Hela Province, Papua and New Guinea | 6.8 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 3 | United States, southern Alaska | 6.3 | 56.0 | V | | | |
| 6 | Fiji, south of | 6.5 | 530.6 | | | | |
| 9 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Kuril Islands | 6.3 | 27.5 | | | | |
| 17 | Mexico, off the coast of Guerrero | 6.0 | 0.0 | | Unknown depth | | |
| 19 | United States, southern California | 6.4 | 6.0 | VIII | | | |
| 21 | Burma, Sagaing Region | 7.4 | 183.9 | | Some damage was caused. | | |
| 29 | Philippines, Babuyan Islands | 6.1 | 25.0 | | | | |
| 29 | Spain, Andalusia | 7.8 | 626.2 | IV | Some damage was reported. | | |
| 30 | United States, Hawaii (island), Hawaii | 6.0 | 9.0 | VI | Foreshock. | | |
| 30 | United States, Hawaii (island), Hawaii | 6.5 | 9.0 | VIII | | | |
| 31 | Owen fracture zone | 7.1 | 15.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 1 | Mexico, Chiapas | 6.0 | 100.0 | | | | |
| 4 | Japan, south of Hokkaido | 6.0 | 56.0 | IV | | | |
| 11 | United Kingdom, Solomon Islands | 6.2 | 35.0 | V | | | |
| 17 | United States, Andreanof Islands, Alaska | 6.6 | 25.0 | | | | |
| 26 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, eastern Kamchatka | 6.3 | 65.0 | | | | |
| 29 | Mexico, Gulf of California | 6.6 | 10.0 | VI | Foreshock. | | |
| 29 | Mexico, Gulf of California | 7.2 | 10.0 | VII | | | |
| 30 | Greece, Thessaly | 6.7 | 10.0 | X | The 1954 Sofades earthquake 31 people were killed and 717 were injured. 13,356 homes were damaged or destroyed. Costs were $3.15 million (1954 rate). | 31 | 717 |

### 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 |
| 3 | Nicaragua, Masaya Department | 6.0 | 141.3 | IV | | | |
| 5 | Mexico, Gulf of California | 6.4 | 10.0 | VI | | | |
| 5 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Kuril Islands | 6.0 | 46.4 | | | | |
| 13 | Mexico, Oaxaca | 6.3 | 62.4 | VI | | | |
| 13 | Mexico, Oaxaca | 6.0 | 80.0 | | Aftershock. | | |
| 14 | Japan, Gifu Prefecture, Honshu | 6.6 | 245.1 | | | | |
| 19 | Australia, southeast of New Britain, Papua and New Guinea | 6.2 | 35.0 | V | | | |
| 31 | Indonesia, Sumbawa | 6.5 | 150.0 | | | | |

### 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 | Ecuador, Galapagos Islands | 6.3 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 6 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | 6.9 | 10.0 | VII | | | |
| 7 | Australia, New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea | 6.6 | 448.5 | | | | |
| 12 | Fiji | 6.5 | 569.0 | | | | |
| 15 | Peru, Loreto Region | 6.5 | 119.9 | | | | |
| 17 | China, Anhui Province | 5.3 | 0.0 | VI | A few homes were destroyed. Unknown depth. | | |
| 21 | Chile, Antofagasta Region | 6.6 | 113.0 | | | | |
| 30 | Ethiopia, SNNPR | 6.0 | 15.0 | VIII | | | |

### 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 | Philippines, southeast Luzon | 6.6 | 15.0 | IX | 13 people were killed and 101 were injured. Some damage was caused. | 13 | 101 |
| 3 | Belgium, South Kivu, Belgian Congo | 6.0 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 3 | Indonesia, off the west coast of Java | 6.8 | 60.0 | VII | | | |
| 6 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Kuril Islands | 6.5 | 19.1 | | | | |
| 6 | United States, Nevada | 6.8 | 0.0 | VIII | A few people were injured. Some damage was reported. This was the start of several large earthquakes in Nevada over the remainder of the year. Depth unknown. | | 10+ |
| 6 | United States, Nevada | 6.2 | 0.0 | VII | Aftershock. Depth unknown. | | |
| 13 | Australia, Bismarck Sea, Papua and New Guinea | 6.2 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 18 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, off the east coast of Kamchatka | 6.0 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 18 | Japan, off the east coast of Honshu | 6.3 | 55.0 | V | | | |
| 23 | Chile, Coquimbo Region | 6.1 | 38.3 | VI | | | |
| 26 | Chile, Los Lagos Region | 6.3 | 55.0 | VI | | | |
| 31 | China, Inner Mongolia | 6.9 | 25.0 | VII | 542 homes were destroyed. | | |

### 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 |
| 3 | Greece, Aegean Sea | 6.0 | 15.0 | V | | | |
| 5 | Australia, Morobe Province, Papua and New Guinea | 6.2 | 25.0 | VI | | | |
| 18 | Tonga | 6.7 | 156.8 | | | | |
| 20 | Iran, Persian Gulf | 5.0 | 0.0 | | 1 person was killed and some damage was reported. Unknown depth. | 1 | |
| 24 | United States, Nevada | 6.6 | 0.0 | IX | Further damage in the area affected by another large event in early July. Depth unknown. | | |
| 30 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Kuril Islands | 6.0 | 57.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 2 | United Kingdom, Solomon Islands | 6.6 | 135.0 | | | | |
| 4 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | 6.4 | 47.9 | VI | | | |
| 4 | Taiwan, southeast of | 6.0 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 6 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, off the east coast of Kamchatka | 6.3 | 60.0 | VI | | | |
| 9 | France, Chlef Province, Algeria | 6.7 | 15.0 | XI | The 1954 Chlef earthquake caused one of the worst disasters to affect the country. 1,243 people were killed and another 5,000 injured. 20,000 homes were destroyed with damage costs reaching $6 million (1954 rate). | 1,243 | 5,000 |
| 10 | France, Chlef Province, Algeria | 6.2 | 15.0 | VII | Aftershock. | | |
| 13 | Fiji | 6.5 | 178.0 | | | | |
| 14 | Japan, Ryukyu Islands | 6.0 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 15 | Fiji | 6.7 | 564.6 | | | | |
| 17 | Fiji | 7.0 | 256.6 | | | | |
| 20 | Indonesia, Sulawesi | 6.0 | 50.0 | V | | | |
| 23 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, east of the Kuril Islands | 6.5 | 20.0 | | | | |
| 27 | Japan, southern Hokkaido | 6.0 | 60.1 | V | | | |

### 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 | United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | 6.5 | 35.0 | | Foreshock. | | |
| 3 | United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | 6.8 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 3 | United States, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska | 6.4 | 61.5 | VIII | | | |
| 4 | United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | 6.0 | 20.0 | | Aftershock. | | |
| 14 | Indonesia, Barat Daya Islands | 6.3 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 17 | Mexico, off the west coast of Baja California | 6.4 | 15.0 | VI | | | |
| 21 | Guatemala, Santa Rosa Department, Guatemala | 6.1 | 66.0 | V | | | |
| 24 | China, Sichuan Province | 5.0 | 0.0 | VII | Some homes were damaged and others were destroyed. Unknown depth. | | |

### 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 |
| 2 | Indonesia, northeast of Sumbawa | 6.7 | 20.0 | VIII | Some homes were damaged. | | |
| 12 | Mexico, Baja California | 6.1 | 6.0 | VIII | | | |
| 15 | United States, Northern Mariana Islands | 6.7 | 189.0 | | | | |
| 18 | Japan, off the east coast of Honshu | 6.0 | 35.0 | V | | | |
| 23 | Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, off the east coast of Kamchatka | 6.0 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 25 | United States, off the coast of northern California | 6.8 | 10.0 | V | | | |
| 25 | Fiji, south of | 6.5 | 643.5 | | | | |

### 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 | Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic, Naryn Region | 6.0 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 4 | Australia, south of New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea | 6.3 | 35.0 | V | | | |
| 4 | United Kingdom, north of Trinidad | 6.1 | 49.0 | VI | | | |
| 16 | United States, central Nevada | 7.3 | 15.0 | XII | 1954 Nevada earthquake. This was one of the largest events in the state. Some damage was reported. Many aftershocks followed. | | |
| 16 | United States, central Nevada | 6.9 | 15.0 | X | Large aftershock. | | |
| 19 | Argentina, Jujuy Province | 6.6 | 247.3 | | | | |
| 21 | United States, northern California | 6.5 | 0.0 | VII | 1 person was killed and several were injured. Damage was caused with costs being around $2.1 million (1954 rate). Depth unknown. | 1 | 10+ |
| 28 | Australia, southeast of New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea | 6.3 | 35.0 | VI | | | |