# List of earthquakes in 1976

This is a list of earthquakes in 1976. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage and/or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. 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. The main point of note from this year was the devastation seen across the globe from several catastrophic events. Several countries experienced their worst ever natural disasters. Chronologically, Guatemala in February suffered 23,000 deaths. Indonesia in June had an earthquake causing 6,000 deaths. China in July had officially 242,000 deaths from the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. This was the worst toll from an earthquake for over 400 years. Shortly afterwards the Philippines had 8,000 fatalities. Towards the year end Turkey had an event resulting in 5,000 deaths. Although not as devastating Italy had nearly 1,000 deaths in May with subsequent aftershocks causing further destruction.

## By death toll

| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 242,769 | 7.5 | China, Hebei Province | XI (Extreme) | 23.0 | July 27 |
| 2 | 23,000 | 7.5 | Guatemala, Izabal Department | IX (Violent) | 5.0 | February 4 |
| 3 | 8,000 | 8.0 | Philippines, Mindanao | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | August 16 |
| 4 | 6,000 | 7.1 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | VII (Very strong) | 33.0 | June 25 |
| 5 | 5,000 | 7.3 | Turkey, Van Province | X (Extreme) | 36.0 | November 24 |
| 6 | 978 | 6.5 | Italy, Fruili Venezia Giulia | X (Extreme) | 9.0 | May 6 |
| 7 | 573 | 6.5 | Indonesia, Bali | VII (Very strong) | 40.0 | July 14 |
| 8 | 133 | 7.1 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | October 29 |
| = 9 | 101 | 6.9 | China, Yunnan | IX (Violent) | 8.0 | May 29 |
| = 9 | 101 | 7.0 | China, Yunnan | IX (Violent) | 10.0 | May 29 |
| = 9 | 101 | 7.4 | China, Hebei Province | IX (Violent) | 26.0 | July 28 |
| 10 | 49 | 5.6 | Afghanistan, Balkh Province | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | March 19 |
| 11 | 17 | 6.2 | Iran, South Khorasan province | VIII (Severe) | 13.0 | November 7 |
| 12 | 11 | 6.0 | Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | IX (Violent) | 10.0 | September 15 |
| 13 | 10 | 6.7 | Ecuador, Esmeraldas Province | VIII (Severe) | 9.0 | April 9 |
Listed are earthquakes with at least 10 dead.

## By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| = 1 | 8.0 | 0 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | VII (Very strong) | 33.0 | January 14 |
| = 1 | 8.0 | 8,000 | Philippines, Mindanao | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | August 16 |
| = 2 | 7.5 | 23,000 | Guatemala, Izabel Department | VIII (Severe) | 5.0 | February 4 |
| = 2 | 7.5 | 242,769 | China, Hebei Province | XI (Extreme) | 23.0 | July 27 |
| 3 | 7.4 | 101 | China, Hebei Province | IX (Violent) | 26.0 | July 28 |
| 4 | 7.3 | 5,000 | Turkey, Van Province | X (Extreme) | 36.0 | November 24 |
| = 5 | 7.1 | 6,000 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | VII (Very strong) | 33.0 | June 25 |
| = 5 | 7.1 | 133 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | October 29 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 0 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | VIII (Severe) | 41.0 | January 21 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 0 | Soviet Union, Bukhara Region, Uzbekistan | IX (Violent) | 33.0 | April 8 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 0 | Soviet Union, Bukhara Region, Uzbekistan | X (Extreme) | 10.0 | May 17 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 101 | China, Yunnan | IX (Violent) | 10.0 | May 29 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 0 | Indonesia, Sumatra | VI (Strong) | 33.0 | June 20 |
| = 6 | 7.0 | 5 | Panama | IX (Violent) | 3.0 | July 11 |
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 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 7.3 | 42.5 | | | | |
| 6 | Soviet Union, Kamchatka Krai | 6.1 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 6 | Soviet Union, Kamchatka Krai | 6.3 | 29.1 | | | | |
| 7 | Soviet Union, Kamchatka Krai | 6.4 | 30.6 | | | | |
| 9 | New Hebrides | 6.3 | 172.1 | IV | | | |
| 13 | Iceland, Northeastern Region (Iceland) | 6.3 | 10.0 | IX | Some buildings damaged at Kópasker and three homes evacuated. Several bridges also damaged in the area. | | |
| 14 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 7.8 | 45.0 | VIII | Some damage reported. | | |
| 14 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 7.9 | 45.0 | VII | Tsunami reported and some damage on Raoul Island. | | |
| 14 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.2 | 25.0 | | | | |
| 14 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.4 | 25.0 | | | | |
| 15 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.1 | 25.0 | | | | |
| 18 | Norway, Svalbard and Jan Mayen | 6.3 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 21 | Russian SFSR, Kuril Islands | 7.2 | 41.3 | VI | | | |
| 21 | Russian SFSR, Kamchatka Krai | 6.3 | 27.5 | V | | | |
| 22 | Russian SFSR, Kuril Islands | 6.1 | 35.9 | | | | |
| 22 | Indonesia, East Nusa Tenggara | 6.7 | 614.1 | | | | |
| 24 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.2 | 60.0 | | | | |
| 24 | Russian SFSR, Kuril Islands | 6.5 | 34.7 | | | | |
| 27 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.1 | 20.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 4 | Guatemala, Izabal Department | 7.5 | 5.0 | IX | The 1976 Guatemala earthquake caused major destruction in Guatemala. 23,000 people died and 76,000 were injured. Major damage was caused to property and infrastructure. Damage costs were $2.147 billion (1976 rate). Many aftershocks followed with additional damage being caused to weakened structures. | 23,000 | 76,000 |
| 6 | Papua New Guinea, Madang Province | 6.0 | 37.0 | VI | | | |
| 15 | Philippines, northeast of Samar | 6.1 | 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 |
| 3 | Indonesia, north of Flores | 6.0 | 30.0 | V | | | |
| 4 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.4 | 90.0 | VI | | | |
| 8 | United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | 6.1 | 47.0 | | | | |
| 13 | Papua New Guinea, west of Bougainville Island | 6.1 | 50.0 | V | | | |
| 13 | Guatemala, Chimaltenango Department | 5.9 | 10.0 | VII | Aftershock of February 4 event; 4 people were killed and 50 were injured. | 4 | 50 |
| 19 | Afghanistan, Balkh Province | 5.9 | 20.0 | VIII | At least 49 people dead, 59 injured and 20,000 homeless. More than 1,130 homes destroyed, 559 damaged and rockslides in the Kholm and Tashkurgan area. | 49 | 59 |
| 24 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 7.0 | 50.0 | | Aftershock of January 14 event. | | |
| 25 | Turkey, Ardahan Province | 5.2 | 15.0 | VI | Two people were killed and 6 were injured. Some damage was reported. | 2 | 6 |

### 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 |
| 6 | Papua New Guinea, north of New Britain | 6.4 | 21.0 | VI | | | |
| 8 | Soviet Union, Bukhara Region, Uzbekistan | 7.0 | 33.0 | IX | Doublet earthquake along with later event on May 17. Major damage was reported. | | |
| 8 | Soviet Union, Bukhara Region, Uzbekistan | 6.2 | 33.0 | VIII | Aftershock. | | |
| 9 | Ecuador, Esmeraldas Province | 6.7 | 9.0 | VIII | 10 people died and property damages were around $4 million (1976 rate). | 10 | |
| 10 | Papua New Guinea, west of Bougainville Island | 6.0 | 54.0 | IV | | | |
| 22 | Iran, Fars province | 6.0 | 24.0 | VII | | | |
| 29 | Turkey, Ardahan Province | 5.5 | 44.0 | VII | 4 people were killed and some damage was caused. | 4 | |

### 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 |
| 4 | New Zealand, South Island | 6.6 | 19.0 | VII | | | |
| 5 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.8 | 35.0 | | Aftershock of January 14 event. | | |
| 6 | Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 6.5 | 9.0 | X | The 1976 Friuli earthquake caused 978 deaths and 1,700 injuries. Major property damage was caused. Costs were $3.6 billion (1976 rate). | 990 | 1,700 |
| 11 | Greece, Ionian Sea | 6.4 | 33.0 | V | | | |
| 15 | Peru, Junin Region | 6.6 | 33.0 | VII | | | |
| 17 | Soviet Union, Bukhara Region, Uzbekistan | 7.0 | 10.0 | X | Doublet earthquake along with event on April 8. Property damage costs were $85 million (1976 rate). | | |
| 29 | China, Yunnan | 6.9 | 8.0 | rowspan="2"| Doublet earthquake. At least 101 people were killed and major damage was caused. | 101 | |
| 29 | China, Yunnan | 7.0 | 10.0 | IX | 101 | |
| 31 | China, Yunnan | 6.2 | 14.0 | VII | Aftershock. | | |

### 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 | Papua New Guinea, southeast of New Ireland (island) | 6.2 | 88.0 | VI | | | |
| 5 | United Kingdom, Solomon Islands | 6.2 | 61.0 | V | | | |
| 7 | Philippines, east of Catanduanes | 6.4 | 33.0 | V | | | |
| 7 | Mexico, Guerrero | 6.4 | 45.0 | VI | Some damage was caused. | | |
| 17 | Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 6.1 | 24.0 | VII | Aftershock of May 6 event. | | |
| 20 | Indonesia, off the west coast of northern Sumatra | 7.0 | 33.0 | VI | | | |
| 25 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | 7.1 | 33.0 | VII | The 1976 Papua earthquake caused in total 6,000 deaths. Major damage was caused. | 6,000 | |
| 26 | Indonesia, Talaud Islands | 6.5 | 33.0 | 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 |
| 11 | Panama, off the south coast | 6.7 | 22.0 | VIII | Foreshock. Some damage was caused. | | |
| 11 | Panama, off the south coast | 7.0 | 3.0 | IX | 5 people were killed and 7 were injured. Further damage was reported. | 5 | 7 |
| 14 | Indonesia, Bali | 6.5 | 40.0 | VII | The 1976 Bali earthquake caused 573 deaths. Another 4,755 people were injured. Damage costs were $195 million (1976 rate). | 573 | 4,755 |
| 17 | Papua New Guinea, New Ireland (island) | 6.6 | 53.0 | VII | | | |
| 21 | China, Yunnan | 6.3 | 9.0 | VII | Aftershock of May 29 event. | | |
| 26 | Malaysia, Sabah | 6.2 | 33.0 | VII | The 1976 Sabah earthquake resulted in some damage. | | |
| 27 | China, Hebei | 7.5 | 23.0 | XI | This was the deadliest event of the 20th century, and one of the deadliest events of all time. Deadliest event of 1976. The 1976 Tangshan earthquake struck causing devastation to the area. 242,769 people died according to official information. Around 799,000 were hurt. Property damage was extensive with costs reaching $5.6 billion (1976 rate). | 242,769 | 799,000 |
| 28 | China, Hebei | 7.4 | 26.0 | IX | Aftershock resulted in at least 101 more deaths. Many homes collapsed. | 101 | |
| 28 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.0 | 5.0 | VI | | | |
| 28 | Soviet Union, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, Tajikistan | 6.1 | 50.0 | V | | | |
| 28 | Soviet Union, Chechnya, Russia | 6.1 | 21.0 | VII | | | |

### 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 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.9 | 52.0 | VI | | | |
| 12 | Burma, Kachin State | 6.4 | 27.0 | VI | | | |
| 16 | China, Sichuan | 6.9 | 16.0 | VII | 1976 Songpan-Pingwu earthquake. | | |
| 16 | Philippines, off the south coast of Mindanao | 8.0 | 33.0 | VIII | Largest event of 1976. The 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake caused extensive destruction mostly through a tsunami which followed the shaking. In total 8,000 people were killed and 10,000 were hurt. Damages of $134 million (1976 rate) were caused. | 8,000 | 10,000 |
| 17 | Philippines, off the northeast coast of Mindanao | 6.0 | 34.0 | V | | | |
| 17 | Philippines, off the south coast of Mindanao | 6.8 | 22.0 | IX | The strong aftershock caused at least 1 additional death and further damage. | 1 | |
| 19 | Turkey, Denizli Province | 5.0 | 3.0 | VIII | 4 people were killed and 50 injured. 1,800 homes were damaged. | 4 | 50 |
| 21 | China, Sichuan | 6.4 | 33.0 | VI | Aftershock of August 16 event. | | |
| 23 | China, Sichuan | 6.7 | 33.0 | VII | Aftershock of August 16 event. | | |

### 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 |
| 11 | Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 5.5 | 16.0 | VII | Aftershock of May 6 event. 5 people died and at least 51 were injured. Some damage was caused. | 5 | 51 |
| 15 | Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 6.0 | 10.0 | IX | Aftershock of May 6 event. Another 11 people were killed and at least 51 were injured. Some damage was caused. | 11 | 51 |
| 15 | Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 5.9 | 17.0 | IX | Aftershock of May 6 event. At least 51 people were injured and further damage was reported. | | 51 |
| 29 | Philippines, Mindanao | 6.0 | 41.0 | VI | Aftershock of August 16 event. | | |
| 30 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 6.5 | 32.0 | | | | |

### 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 | United Kingdom, Solomon Islands | 6.0 | 106.0 | IV | | | |
| 25 | Soviet Union, Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic | 4.5 | 33.0 | V | The Osmussaar earthquake is the largest ever recorded in Estonia. Some damage was caused. | | |
| 29 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | 7.1 | 33.0 | VIII | 133 deaths were caused. Some homes sustained damage. | 133 | |

### 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 |
| 6 | China, Sichuan | 6.5 | 33.0 | VII | | | |
| 7 | Iran, South Khorasan province | 6.2 | 13.0 | VIII | 17 people were killed and major damage was caused. | 17 | |
| 7 | Philippines, Mindanao | 6.8 | 60.0 | VII | | | |
| 8 | Japan, off the east coast of Honshu | 6.0 | 38.0 | | | | |
| 15 | China, Tianjin | 6.3 | 15.0 | VII | Aftershock of July 27 event. | | |
| 18 | United Kingdom, Solomon Islands | 6.5 | 33.0 | VI | | | |
| 18 | Indonesia, Papua (province) | 6.3 | 33.0 | IX | | | |
| 22 | Philippines, off the south coast of Mindanao | 6.0 | 60.0 | IV | Aftershock of August 16 event. | | |
| 24 | Turkey, Van Province | 7.3 | 36.0 | X | The 1976 Çaldıran–Muradiye earthquake caused 5,000 deaths and at least 101 injuries. $60 million (1976 rate) in property destruction was caused. | 5,000 | 101 |
| 26 | United States, off the coast of northern California | 6.3 | 41.8 | V | | | |
| 27 | Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province | 6.1 | 190.0 | V | Some damage was reported. | | |
| 30 | Chile, Tarapaca Region | 6.5 | 82.0 | VIII | 1 person died with a further 13 injured. Some damage was reported. | 1 | 13 |

### 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 |
| 8 | South Africa, Orange Free State (province) | 5.2 | 33.0 | VII | 4 people died and another 36 sustained injuries. Some damage was caused. | 4 | 36 |
| 20 | Canada, west of Vancouver Island | 6.7 | 10.0 | | | | |