# List of earthquakes in 1944

This is a list of earthquakes in 1944. 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. Activity was spread across the world during this year. The southwest Pacific Islands saw a good proportion of the earthquakes. Japan had the largest event of the year in December. Argentina and Turkey had the bulk of the deaths. The quake in Argentina in January was the worst in the country's history. New York State had its largest recorded earthquake in September causing some damage.

## Overall
### By death toll

| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 8,000 | 7.0 | Argentina, San Juan Province, Argentina | VII (Very strong) | 15.0 | January 15 |
| 2 | 2,381 | 7.6 | Turkey, Cankiri Province | X (Extreme) | 30.0 | February 1 |
| 3 | 1,223 | 8.1 | Empire of Japan, off the south coast of Honshu | VIII (Severe) | 15.0 | December 7 |
| 4 | 30 | 6.8 | Turkey, off the west coast of Balıkesir Province | IX (Violent) | 15.0 | October 6 |
* Note: At least 10 casualties

### By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 8.1 | 1,223 | Empire of Japan, off the south coast of Honshu | VIII (Severe) | 15.0 | December 7 |
| = 2 | 7.6 | 2,381 | Turkey, Cankiri Province | X (Extreme) | 30.0 | February 1 |
| = 2 | 7.6 | 0 | Empire of Japan, West Papua (province), Dutch East Indies | VII (Very strong) | 15.0 | April 27 |
| 3 | 7.5 | 0 | Empire of Japan, Lembata, Dutch East Indies | ( ) | 156.6 | March 22 |
| 4 | 7.3 | 0 | Fiji | ( ) | 632.7 | May 25 |
| = 5 | 7.2 | 0 | Soviet Union, eastern Kamchatka Krai, Russia | VII (Very strong) | 35.0 | September 23 |
| = 5 | 7.2 | 0 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | VI (Strong) | 165.0 | November 24 |
| = 6 | 7.1 | 0 | Australia, East Sepik Province, New Guinea | ( ) | 114.4 | January 7 |
| = 6 | 7.1 | 0 | , southeast of Maldives | ( ) | 15.0 | February 29 |
| = 6 | 7.1 | 3 | Republic of China (1912-1949), northern Xinjiang Province | VIII (Severe) | 10.0 | March 9 |
| = 6 | 7.1 | 0 | Australia, north of New Ireland (island), New Guinea | VI (Strong) | 15.0 | May 25 |
| = 6 | 7.1 | 0 | United States, Fox Islands, Alaska | ( ) | 70.0 | July 27 |
| = 6 | 7.1 | 0 | Empire of Japan, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | VI (Strong) | 35.0 | November 16 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 8,000 | Argentina San Juan Province, Argentina | VII (Very strong) | 15.0 | January 15 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 0 | Peru, Puno Region | ( ) | 183.1 | February 29 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 0 | Mexico, off the coast of Chiapas | VI (Strong) | 25.0 | June 28 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 0 | Empire of Japan, Hokkaido | ( ) | 75.0 | October 2 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 0 | France, southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia | ( ) | 120.0 | October 5 |
| = 7 | 7.0 | 0 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | ( ) | 180.0 | November 29 |
* 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 |
| 5 | Empire of Japan, southern Sumatra, Dutch East Indies | 6.6 | 45.0 | VI | | | |
| 7 | Australia, East Sepik Province, New Guinea | 7.1 | 114.4 | | | | |
| 10 | Mexico, Guerrero | 6.6 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 15 | Argentina, San Juan Province, Argentina | 7.0 | 15.0 | VII | The 1944 San Juan earthquake was the deadliest in Argentine history. 8,000 people were killed. Damage costs were $100 million (1944 rate). | 8,000 | |

### 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 | Turkey, Cankiri Province | 7.6 | 30.0 | X | 2,381 people were killed and major damage was caused by the 1944 Bolu–Gerede earthquake. | 2,381 | |
| 1 | Empire of Japan, off the south coast of Hokkaido | 6.6 | 160.0 | | | | |
| 3 | Canada, Yukon Territory | 6.5 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 5 | Empire of Japan, Hualien County, Taiwan | 6.5 | 20.0 | VI | | | |
| 29 | Peru, Puno Region | 7.0 | 183.1 | | | | |
| 29 | , southeast of Maldives | 7.1 | 15.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 9 | Republic of China (1912-1949), northern Xinjiang Province | 6.9 | 10.0 | rowspan="2"| Doublet earthquake. 3 people were killed and some homes collapsed. | | |
| 9 | Republic of China (1912-1949), northern Xinjiang Province | 7.1 | 10.0 | VIII | 3 | |
| 22 | Empire of Japan, Lembata, Dutch East Indies | 7.5 | 156.6 | | | | |
| 31 | Empire of Japan, Banda Sea, Dutch East Indies | 6.4 | 65.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 7 | Nicaragua, Chontales Department | 6.0 | 200.0 | | | | |
| 23 | Fiji | 6.5 | 370.0 | | | | |
| 26 | Empire of Japan, off the north coast of West Papua (province), Dutch East Indies | 6.8 | 15.0 | VII | Foreshock. | | |
| 27 | Empire of Japan, off the north coast of West Papua (province), Dutch East Indies | 7.6 | 15.0 | VII | | | |

### 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 |
| 9 | Colombia, Huila Department | 6.0 | 100.0 | | | | |
| 25 | Fiji | 7.3 | 632.7 | | | | |
| 25 | Australia, north of New Ireland (island), New Guinea | 7.1 | 15.0 | VI | | | |
| 27 | Italian Social Republic, Dodecanese Islands, Greece | 6.2 | 100.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 8 | Peru, Ucayali Region | 6.2 | 600.0 | | | | |
| 25 | Free France, southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia | 6.8 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 28 | Mexico, off the coast of Chiapas | 7.0 | 25.0 | VI | | | |

### 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 |
| 10 | Samoa | 6.8 | 185.0 | | | | |
| 12 | United States, southern Idaho | 6.1 | 10.0 | VII | | | |
| 23 | Argentina, Jujuy Province | 6.0 | 250.0 | | | | |
| 27 | United States, Fox Islands (Alaska) | 7.1 | 70.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 14 | United States, southern Alaska | 6.3 | 100.0 | | | | |
| 15 | Empire of Japan, Northern Mariana Islands | 6.9 | 120.7 | | | | |
| 18 | Empire of Japan, Yamagata Prefecture, Honshu | 6.9 | 131.8 | | | | |
| 24 | Mexico, Chiapas | 6.0 | 100.0 | | | | |
| 30 | New Hebrides, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu | 6.8 | 25.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 5 | United States, northern New York State | 5.5 | 12.0 | VIII | The 1944 Cornwall-Massena earthquake caused $2 million (1944 rate) in property damage. This was the largest event in state history. | | |
| 6 | France, southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia | 6.5 | 120.0 | | | | |
| 6 | Ethiopian Empire, Oromia Region | 6.0 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 11 | Empire of Japan, Molucca Sea, Dutch East Indies | 6.6 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 14 | Empire of Japan, south of Java, Dutch East Indies | 6.8 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 23 | Soviet Union, eastern Kamchatka Krai, Russia | 7.2 | 35.0 | VII | | | |
| 27 | Republic of China (1912-1949), western Xinjiang Province | 6.8 | 20.0 | VII | Some homes were destroyed. | | |

### 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 |
| 2 | Guatemala, Jutiapa Department | 6.5 | 160.0 | | | | |
| 2 | Empire of Japan, Hokkaido | 7.0 | 75.0 | | | | |
| 5 | Australia, east of New Ireland (island), New Guinea | 6.9 | 75.0 | | | | |
| 5 | France, southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia | 7.0 | 120.0 | | | | |
| 6 | Turkey, off the west coast of Balikesir Province | 6.8 | 15.0 | IX | AT least 30 people were killed and 5,500 homes were destroyed during the 1944 Gulf of Edremit–Ayvacik earthquake. | 30 | |
| 11 | Samoa | 6.8 | 15.0 | | | | |
| 14 | Empire of Japan, Halmahera, Dutch East Indies | 6.6 | 15.0 | VII | | | |
| 17 | Tibet, Tibet (1912-1951) | 6.8 | 20.0 | VII | | | |
| 23 | Ecuador, Esmeraldas Province | 6.7 | 20.0 | VII | | | |
| 29 | Tibet, Tibet (1912-1951) | 6.5 | 20.0 | VII | Aftershock of October 17 event. | | |

### 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 |
| 15 | Empire of Japan, Talaud Islands, Dutch East Indies | 6.8 | 60.0 | VI | | | |
| 16 | Empire of Japan, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands | 7.1 | 35.0 | VI | | | |
| 24 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 7.2 | 165.0 | VI | | | |
| 29 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 7.0 | 180.0 | | | | |
| 30 | Fiji | 6.8 | 180.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 4 | Empire of Japan, Northern Mariana Islands | 6.8 | 56.7 | | | | |
| 7 | Empire of Japan, off the south coast of Honshu | 8.1 | 15.0 | VII | Major destruction was caused by the 1944 Tōnankai earthquake. 1,223 deaths and 2,135 injuries were caused. 26,146 homes were destroyed. A tsunami contributed to the damage. | 1,223 | 2,135 |
| 7 | Empire of Japan, off the south coast of Honshu | 6.5 | 0.0 | | Aftershock. | | |
| 10 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.6 | 15.0 | VI | | | |
| 12 | United States, Andreanof Islands, Alaska | 6.5 | 35.0 | | | | |
| 12 | Empire of Japan, off the south coast of Honshu | 6.7 | 0.0 | | Aftershock. | | |
| 19 | Republic of China (1912-1949), Liaoning Province | 6.6 | 35.0 | VII | | | |
| 21 | France, southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia | 6.5 | 100.0 | | | | |
| 22 | Chile, Antofagasta Region | 6.5 | 45.3 | VI | | | |
| 27 | Australia, south of New Britain, New Guinea | 6.5 | 35.0 | V | | | |
| 28 | Australia, West New Britain Province, New Guinea | 6.8 | 95.0 | | | | |