List of earthquakes in 1908 explained

Year:	1908
Location Map:	Earth
Largest:	Mexico, Guerrero, (Magnitude 7.7) 26 March
Deadliest:	Sicily, (Magnitude 7.0) 28 December, 82,000 deaths
Fatalities:	82,000
9.0+:	0
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	10
6.0–6.9:	18
5.0–5.9:	0

This is a list of earthquakes in 1908. 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. One of the early 20th century's worst earthquakes happened this year in Italy. A magnitude 8.2 earthquake was said to have occurred off the Peruvian coast on 12 December. This earthquake has been proven to be of false origin since seismological data does not support its existence.^[1]

Overall

By death toll

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1			Mexico, Guerrero
2			Dutch East Indies, off west coast of Sumatra
3			Scotia Sea
4			Japan, off east coast of Honshu
= 5			Mexico, off the coast of Guerrero
= 5			Southwest Indian Ridge
= 6			United States, Gulf of Alaska
= 6			Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province
= 6			British Burma, Kachin State
= 6			Italy, Sicily

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

Month:	January
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	1
6.0–6.9:	1
Largest:	7.1 Mw Japan
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[2]		6.8	5.0
^[3]		7.1	35.0

February

Month:	February
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	1
6.0–6.9:	2
Largest:	7.5 Mw Dutch East Indies
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[4]		7.5	130.0
^[5]		6.7	15.0
^[6]		6.0	0.0		Depth unknown.

March

Month:	March
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	2
6.0–6.9:	3
Largest:	7.7 Mw Mexico
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[7]		6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
^[8]		6.5	200.0
^[9]		6.6	0.0		Some damage was caused on Timor. Depth unknown.
^[10] ^[11]		7.7	80.0		Some damage was caused.
^[12]		7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.

April

Month:	April
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	1
6.0–6.9:	2
Largest:	7.0 Mw Southwest Indian Ridge
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[13]		6.6	220.0
^[14]		6.7	450.0
^[15]		7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.

May

Month:	May
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	1
6.0–6.9:	3
Largest:	7.0 Mw United States
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[16]		6.5	35.0
^[17]		6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
^[18]		7.0	0.0		Depth unknown.
^[19]		6.6	100.0

August

Month:	August
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	1
6.0–6.9:	1
Largest:	7.2 Mw Scotia Sea
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[20]		7.2	0.0		Depth unknown.
^[21]		6.9	15.0

September

Month:	September
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	0
6.0–6.9:	1
Largest:	6.8 Mw United States
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[22]		6.8	0.0		Depth unknown.

October

Month:	October
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	1
6.0–6.9:	3
Largest:	7.0 Mw Afghanistan
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[23]		6.6	150.0
^[24]		6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
^[25]		6.9	220.0		These events can be considered a doublet earthquake.
^[26]		7.0	220.0

November

Month:	November
8.0–8.9:	0
7.0–7.9:	0
6.0–6.9:	2
Largest:	6.9 Mw 2 events
Fatalities:	0

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[27]		6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.
^[28]		6.9	0.0		Depth unknown.

December

Month:	December
8.0–8.9:	1
7.0–7.9:	2
6.0–6.9:	0
Largest:	7.2 Mw British Burma
Deadliest:	7.0 Mw Italy 82,000 deaths
Fatalities:	82,000

Date! rowspan="2" style="width: 310px"

Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
Dead					Injured
^[29]		7.2	15.0
^[30] ^[31] ^[32]		7.0	15.0		The 1908 Messina earthquake caused 82,000 deaths in total. The earthquake contributed to 80,000 of the total. A tsunami resulted in another 2,000 deaths. Damage costs were around $116 million (1908 rate).	82,000

Notes and References

1. Giacomo . Domenico Di . Dewey . James W. . The (Mythical) M 8.2 Off Coast of Peru Earthquake of 12 December 1908 . Seismological Research Letters . 2020 . 91 . 1 . 488–498 . 10.1785/0220190232.
2. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 11 January 1908.
3. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 15 January 1908.
4. Web site: Significant Earthquake: SW. SUMATRA. National Geophysical Data Center. 18 November 2015 . 6 February 1908.
5. Web site: M 6.7 – western Sichuan, China. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 9 February 1908.
6. Web site: Significant Earthquake: ALASKA: GULF OF ALASKA. National Geophysical Data Center. 18 November 2015 . 14 February 1908.
7. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 5 March 1908.
8. Web site: On-Line Bulletin. International Seismological Centre. 12 April 2014 . 12 March 1908.
9. Web site: Significant Earthquake: INDONESIA: TIMOR. National Geophysical Data Center. 18 November 2015 . 23 March 1908.
10. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 26 March 1908.
11. Web site: Significant Earthquake: MEXICO: GUERRERO. National Geophysical Data Center. 18 November 2015 . 26 March 1908.
12. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 27 March 1908.
13. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 16 April 1908.
14. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 19 April 1908.
15. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 22 April 1908.
16. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 3 May 1908.
17. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 5 May 1908.
18. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 15 May 1908.
19. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 17 May 1908.
20. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 17 August 1908.
21. Web site: M 6.9 – western Xizang. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 20 August 1908.
22. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 21 September 1908.
23. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 6 October 1908.
24. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 13 October 1908.
25. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 23 October 1908.
26. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 24 October 1908.
27. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 2 November 1908.
28. Web site: Centennial Earthquake Catalog. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 6 November 1908.
29. Web site: M 7.2 - 64 km NNE of Sarupathar, India. United States Geological Survey. 24 August 2022 . 12 December 1908.
30. Web site: M 7.0 – Sicily, Italy. United States Geological Survey. 18 November 2015 . 28 December 1908.
31. Web site: Significant Earthquake: ITALY: MESSINA, SICILY, CALABRIA. National Geophysical Data Center. 18 November 2015 . 28 December 1908.
32. Web site: Tsunami Event: MESSINA STRAIT, IONIAN SEA. National Geophysical Data Center. 18 November 2015 . 28 December 1908.