Earthquakes in 1956

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1956 4.0–5.9 magnitude 6.0–6.9 magnitude 7.0–7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Greece, Dodecanese Islands (Magnitude 7.7) 9 July
Deadliest	Iran, Hormozgan Province (Magnitude 6.4) 31 October 347 deaths
Total fatalities	910
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	11
6.0–6.9	104
5.0–5.9	7
← 1955 1957 →

This is a list of earthquakes in 1956. 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. Again a fairly active year. 11 magnitude 7.0+ earthquakes were recorded with the largest of those striking Greece in the summer. The event in Greece measured 7.7 and was one of the largest ever to affect the country. In all earthquakes in 1956 resulted in 910 fatalities. Iran had the deadliest event of the year with 347 deaths in October. Burma, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Greece and India also suffered from deadly events.

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	347	6.4	Iran, Hormozgan Province	VII (Very strong)	15.0	October 31
2	156	6.0	India, Gujarat	IX (Violent)	15.0	July 21
3	148	5.3	Lebanon, Mount Lebanon Governorate	( )	15.0	March 16
4	100	7.3	Afghanistan, Baghlan Province	VII (Very strong)	25.0	June 9
5	56	7.7	Greece, Dodecanese Islands	IX (Violent)	20.0	July 9
6	51	5.5	Greece, Thessaly	VIII (Severe)	15.0	November 2
7	38	6.8	Burma, Sagaing Region	VI (Strong)	34.3	July 16
8	12	5.0	Spain, Southern Spain	VIII (Severe)	6.3	April 19

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	7.7	56	Greece, Dodecanese Islands	IX (Violent)	20.0	July 9
2	7.6	0	Fiji	IV (Light)	419.1	May 23
3	7.5	0	Japan, Chiba Prefecture, Honshu	VII (Very strong)	66.1	September 29
= 4	7.3	0	Japan, Izu Islands	( )	484.1	February 18
= 4	7.3	100	Afghanistan, Baghlan Province	VII (Very strong)	25.0	June 9
= 4	7.3	0	Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia	VII (Very strong)	100.4	October 11
5	7.2	0	Indonesia, Banda Sea	( )	136.8	July 18
6	7.1	0	Nicaragua off the west coast of Nicaragua	VII (Very strong)	35.0	October 24
= 7	7.0	0	Tonga, south of	( )	35.0	January 10
= 7	7.0	0	Ecuador, Manabí Province	IX (Violent)	20.0	January 16
= 7	7.0	0	Fiji, south of	( )	198.0	December 27

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

January

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw 2 events
Deadliest	5.8 Mw  Hungary 2 deaths
Total fatalities	3
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	12
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[1]	Indonesia, Banda Sea	6.5	170.0
8[2][3][4]	Mexico, Guerrero	6.2	20.0	VI	At least 101 people were injured and major property damage was caused.		101+
8[5][6][7]	Chile, off the coast of Arica and Parinacota Region	6.6	51.5	VII	At least 1 person was killed and some damage was caused.	1+
9[8]	Fiji, south of	6.5	610.0
10[9]	Tonga, south of	7.0	35.0
11[10]	New Zealand, Taranaki, North Island	6.2	180.0
12[11][12][13]	Hungary, Budapest	5.8	15.0	VII	The 1956 Budapest earthquake struck the eastern suburbs of the city. 2 people were killed and major damage was caused.	2
14[14]	United States, Andreanof Islands, Alaska	6.0	46.5
16[15][16][17]	Ecuador, Manabí Province	7.0	20.0	IX	Some damage was caused.
18[18][19]	Chile, Antofagasta Region	6.2	35.0	VI
21[20]	Burma, Chin State	6.1	60.0
23[21]	Soviet Union, off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia	6.6	75.1
28[22][23]	Australia, East New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea	6.0	50.0	VI
30[24][25]	New Zealand, north of North Island	6.4	15.0	V
31[26]	Australia, New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea	6.9	400.0

February

February

Strongest magnitude	7.3 Mw  Japan
Deadliest	6.2 Mw  Turkey 4 deaths
Total fatalities	4
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	14

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[27]	United States, Northern Mariana Islands	6.7	370.1
1[28]	Italy, off the west coast of Calabria	6.2	225.0
4[29]	United Kingdom, Katavi Region, Tanganyika	6.2	0.0		Unknown depth.
9[30][31]	Mexico, Baja California	6.8	6.0	VIII
9[32][33]	Mexico, Baja California	6.2	6.0	VIII	Aftershock.
10[34]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.1	38.5
12[35]	Philippines, off the northwest coast of Luzon	6.4	20.7
13[36]	Philippines, off the northwest coast of Luzon	6.1	15.0		Aftershock.
14[37]	Philippines, off the northwest coast of Luzon	6.1	15.0		Aftershock.
14[38][39]	Mexico, Baja California	6.4	6.0	rowspan="2"| Southeast of previous weeks events. Doublet earthquake.
15[40][41]	Mexico, Baja California	6.3	15.0	VII
18[42]	Japan, Izu Islands	7.3	484.1
19[43]	Canada, south of Haida Gwaii	6.5	15.0
20[44][45][46]	Turkey, Eskişehir Province	6.2	15.0	VIII	4 people were killed and some damage was caused.	4
29[47][48]	Burma, Sagaing Province	6.2	52.7	VI

March

March

Strongest magnitude	6.5 Mw 2 events
Deadliest	5.3 Mw  Lebanon 148 deaths
Total fatalities	148
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	6
5.0–5.9	3

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[49]	New Zealand, Waikato, North Island	5.3	0.0	VII	Some structural damage was caused. Unknown depth.
3[50]	Tonga	6.5	35.0
5[51][52]	China, southern Xinjiang Province	6.1	15.0	VII
5[53][54]	Japan, off the north coast of Hokkaido	6.3	20.0	VI
13[55][56]	Panama, off the south coast	6.2	25.0	V
16[57][58]	Lebanon, Mount Lebanon Governorate	5.3	15.0	rowspan="2"| 148 people were killed and major damage was caused by the 1956 Chim earthquake. Doublet earthquake with 2 events eleven minutes apart.	148
16[59][60]	Lebanon, Beqaa Governorate	5.5	15.0	VII
19[61][62]	Australia, West New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea	6.1	50.3	V
22[63]	Ecuador, Morona-Santiago Province	6.5	86.3

April

April

Strongest magnitude	6.9 Mw  New Zealand
Deadliest	5.0 Mw  Spain 7 deaths
Total fatalities	7
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	8

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[64][65]	Indonesia, northwest of Nias	6.3	29.9	VI
4[66]	United Kingdom, Singida Region, Tanganyika	6.5	0.0		Unknown depth.
6[67]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	6.6	214.2
7[68]	New Zealand, Kermadec Islands	6.9	346.9
10[69]	Indonesia, southern Sumatra	6.6	129.8
18[70]	United States, Andreanof Islands, Alaska	6.1	45.0
19[71]	Spain, Province of Granada	5.0	0.0		The 1956 Atarfe-Albolote earthquake killed 12 people and caused major damage.	7
22[72][73]	Australia, East New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea	6.0	35.0	V
23[74][75]	Japan, off the southeast coast of Hokkaido	6.2	35.0	IV

May

May

Strongest magnitude	7.6 Mw  Fiji
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	6

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1[76]	Indonesia, off the west coast of southern Sumatra	6.6	66.0
13[77][78]	Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan	6.1	35.0	VI
19[79][80]	Australia, south of Bougainville Island, Papua and New Guinea	6.2	35.0	VI
22[81]	Tonga	6.3	45.0
22[82]	Australia, New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea	6.2	506.0
23[83][84]	Fiji	7.6	419.1	IV
26[85]	Fiji	6.5	615.0		Aftershock.

June

June

Strongest magnitude	7.3 Mw  Afghanistan
Deadliest	7.3 Mw  Afghanistan 100 deaths
Total fatalities	100
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	4

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
9[86][87]	Chile, Coquimbo Region	6.6	23.5	VII
9[88][89][90]	Afghanistan, Baghlan Province	7.3	25.0	VII	100 people were killed.	100
23[91][92]	Soviet Union, off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia	6.5	20.0	VI
24[93][94]	Australia, southwest of Bougainville Island, Papua and New Guinea	6.0	15.0	IV
29[95]	Taiwan, off the east coast of	6.2	15.0

July

July

Strongest magnitude	7.7 Mw  Greece
Deadliest	6.0 Mw  India 156 deaths
Total fatalities	250
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	11

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3[96]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	6.1	215.7
4[97][98]	United Kingdom, Solomon Islands	6.0	50.0	V
9[99][100][101][102]	Greece, Dodecanese Islands	7.7	20.0	IX	The 1956 Amorgos earthquake which was one of the strongest in Greek history caused 53 deaths and major damage. A tsunami resulted in a further 3 deaths.	56
9[103]	Greece, Dodecanese Islands	6.7	15.0		Aftershock.
9[104][105]	Haiti, Nord-Ouest (department)	6.2	55.0	VI
12[106]	Burma, Magway Region	6.2	90.0
16[107][108][109]	Burma, Sagaing Region	6.8	34.3	VII	38 people were killed and some damage was caused in the 1956 Sagaing earthquake.	38
17[110][111]	Indonesia, Banda Sea	6.8	450.8	III
18[112]	Indonesia, Banda Sea	7.2	136.8
19[113][114]	Philippines, off the west coast of Luzon	6.1	35.0	VI
21[115][116][117]	India, Gujarat	6.0	15.0	IX	The 1956 Anjar earthquake left 156 people dead and major damage.	156
22[118]	Chile, Tarapaca Region	6.1	96.8
30[119]	Greece, north of Crete	6.1	15.0

August

August

Strongest magnitude	6.5 Mw  Tonga
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	6
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
4[120][121]	Australia, off the east coast of New Britain, Papua and New Guinea	6.2	35.0	V
9[122]	Tonga	6.5	288.2
12[123][124]	Japan, south of Honshu	6.4	20.0	VI
15[125]	Indonesia, southern Sumatra	6.4	297.3
15[126]	Indonesia, Gulf of Tomini	6.3	170.0
19[127]	China, Shanxi Province	5.0	0.0	VII	A few homes were destroyed. Unknown depth.
23[128][129]	Bolivia, La Paz Department (Bolivia)	6.3	35.0	VII

September

September

Strongest magnitude	7.5 Mw  Japan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	6

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
11[130]	Fiji	6.1	15.0
11[131]	New Hebrides, Vanuatu	6.0	0.0		Unknown depth.
15[132]	Chile, Tarapaca Region	6.8	94.8
16[133][134]	Afghanistan, Paktia Province	6.5	10.0	VIII
17[135]	United Kingdom, Lake Malawi, Nyasaland	6.0	0.0		Unknown depth.
19[136]	Burma, Sagaing Region	6.1	114.9
29[137][138]	Japan, Chiba Prefecture, Honshu	7.5	66.1	VII

October

October

Strongest magnitude	7.3 Mw  Soviet Union
Deadliest	6.4 Mw  Iran 347 deaths
Total fatalities	347
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	13

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3[139]	Chile, Tarapaca Region	6.5	97.3
8[140]	Tonga	6.0	15.0
10[141]	India, Uttar Pradesh	6.0	15.0
11[142][143]	Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia	7.3	100.4	VII
12[144][145]	Peru, off the coast of central	6.1	35.0	V
12[146]	Japan, off the southeast coast of Hokkaido	6.1	35.0
13[147]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	6.1	100.0
19[148]	United States, Rat Islands, Alaska	6.5	25.0
22[149][150]	Australia, D'Entrecasteaux Islands, Papua and New Guinea	6.2	15.0	VII
23[151][152]	Philippines, north of Mindoro	6.7	90.4	VI
24[153][154]	Nicaragua, off the west coast of	7.1	35.0	VII	1956 Nicaragua earthquake.
25[155][156]	Nicaragua, Carazo Department	6.2	35.0	VI	Aftershock.
26[157][158]	New Hebrides, Vanuatu	6.3	10.0	V
28[159][160]	Philippines, eastern Luzon	6.3	20.0	VI
31[161][162][163]	Iran, Hormozgan Province	6.4	15.0	VII	347 people were killed and major damage was reported.	347

November

November

Strongest magnitude	6.4 Mw  Mexico
Deadliest	5.5 Mw  Greece 51+ deaths
Total fatalities	51+
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	6
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2[164][165][166]	Greece, eastern Thessaly	5.5	15.0	VIII	At least 51 people were killed.	51+
9[167]	Mexico, Veracruz	6.4	148.9
10[168]	Costa Rica, off the west coast	6.0	70.0
10[169][170]	Philippines, central Luzon	6.0	15.0	VII
16[171][172]	Venezuela, Merida (state)	6.1	15.0	VII
21[173]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.1	41.0
25[174][175]	New Hebrides, Vanuatu	6.0	15.0	V

December

December

Strongest magnitude	7.0 Mw  Fiji
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	1
6.0–6.9	12
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3[176]	United States, Fox Islands (Alaska)	6.0	13.6
4[177]	Mexico, Chiapas	6.0	89.4
8[178]	United States, Andreanof Islands, Alaska	6.5	25.0
15[179]	New Hebrides, Vanuatu	6.1	151.3
16[180][181]	Colombia, off the west coast of	6.0	32.8	VI
18[182][183]	Chile, Antofagasta Region	6.8	44.9	VII
21[184]	Canada, south of Haida Gwaii	6.5	15.0
21[185][186]	Japan, Izu Islands	6.0	15.0	VI
22[187][188]	Japan, Izu Islands	6.2	15.0	VI
23[189]	Japan, Volcano Islands	6.5	90.0
26[190]	United Kingdom, Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands	6.0	0.0		Unknown depth.
27[191]	Fiji, south of	7.0	198.0
28[192][193]	New Zealand, Gisborne District, North Island	6.5	35.0	VI
31[194]	China, Hebei Province	5.0	0.0	VI	Some homes were destroyed. Unknown depth.

References