# List of earthquakes in 1987

This is a list of earthquakes in 1987. 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 | Magnitude | Deaths | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 7.1 | 1,000 | Ecuador, Napo | IX (Violent) | 10.0 | March 6 |
| 2 | 6.7 | 37 | Indonesia, East Nusa Tenggara | VII (Very strong) | 33.0 | November 26 |

## By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Deaths | Location | Max Intensity | Depth (km) | Date (MM-DD) |
| 1 | 7.9 | 0 | United States, Alaska offshore | VI (Strong) | 10.0 | November 30 |
| 2 | 7.6 | 1 | Chile, Antofagasta | VI (Strong) | 62.3 | March 5 |
| 2 | 7.4 | 0 | Papua New Guinea, West New Britain offshore | VIII (Severe) | 47.8 | October 16 |
| 2 | 7.4 | 0 | Australia, Macquarie Island offshore | I (Not felt) | 33.0 | September 3 |
| 2 | 7.4 | 3 | Papua New Guinea, Morobe offshore | VII (Very strong) | 54.9 | February 8 |
| 6 | 7.3 | 0 | Tonga, Vava'u offshore | IV (Light) | 16.0 | October 6 |
| 7 | 7.2 | 5 | Chile, Tarapacá | VII (Very strong) | 69.7 | September 8 |
| 7 | 7.2 | 1,000 | Ecuador, Napo | IX (Violent) | 10.0 | March 6 |
| 9 | 7.1 | 0 | Indonesia, Banda Sea offshore | V (Moderate) | 67.3 | June 17 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 0 | Papua New Guinea, Bougainville offshore | V (Moderate) | 24.7 | October 12 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 0 | Argentina, Jujuy | IV (Light) | 248.7 | April 1 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 0 | Chile, Antofagasta offshore | IV (Light) | 34.8 | March 5 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 0 | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, South Sandwich Islands offshore | I (Not felt) | 47.6 | January 30 |

## 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 |
| 2 | Egypt, Ismailia | 5.0 | 24.1 | V | Minor damage occurred in Ismailia. | - | - |
| 3 | Papua New Guinea, Bismarck Sea offshore | 6.2 | 5.0 | I | This two similarly sized earthquakes occurring an hour apart can be considered a doublet earthquake. | - | - |
| 3 | Papua New Guinea, Bismarck Sea offshore | 6.3 | 5.0 | I | This two similarly sized earthquakes occurring an hour apart can be considered a doublet earthquake. | - | - |
| 3 | Vanuatu, Sanma | 6.7 | 14.5 | VII | - | - | - |
| 4 | Panama, Chiriquí offshore | 6.3 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 5 | United States, Alaska offshore | 6.8 | 33.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 5 | China, Xinjiang | 5.7 | 16.5 | VII | Several people were injured and damage occurred in Baicheng. | - | Several |
| 7 | Albania, Korçë | 5.0 | 13.5 | VI | Damage occurred in Ersekë and Gostivisht. | - | - |
| 9 | Japan, Iwate | 6.6 | 66.7 | VI | Minor damage occurred in Morioka and Ōfunato. | - | - |
| 9 | Tonga, Tongatapu offshore | 6.5 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 11 | Iran, Fars | 4.9 | 9.7 | VI | 300 houses were damaged in Doshman Ziari. | - | - |
| 13 | Colombia, Chocó offshore | 6.0 | 10.0 | II | - | - | - |
| 13 | southern East Pacific Rise | 6.0 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 14 | Japan, Hokkaido | 6.8 | 102.0 | VI | Six people were injured. | - | 6 |
| 15 | El Salvador, La Libertad | 4.0 | 10.0 | IV | This is an aftershock of the 1986 San Salvador earthquake. Additional damage was caused, with many structures previously damaged by the October event collapsed. | - | - |
| 22 | Italy, Tuscany offshore | 4.2 | 21.6 | IV | Two people died of heart attacks. | 2 | - |
| 24 | China, Xinjiang | 6.2 | 28.9 | VII | 417 houses were damaged in Wushi. | - | - |
| 26 | Algeria, Chlef | 4.9 | 10.0 | VI | One person was killed, another seven were injured, and 629 houses were damaged in Mohammadia. | 1 | 7 |
| 30 | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, South Sandwich Islands offshore | 7.0 | 47.6 | I | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 6 | Japan, Fukushima offshore | 6.4 | 35.6 | IV | It is a foreshock of the 6.8 quake an hour later. | - | - |
| 6 | Japan, Fukushima offshore | 6.8 | 47.7 | V | Small tsunamis were observed, the largest having 12 cm at Onahama. | - | - |
| 7 | Papua New Guinea, Morobe offshore | 6.2 | 27.4 | VI | It is a foreshock of the 7.4 event two days later. | - | - |