A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
.svg)     Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 2011
| |||
| Strongest magnitude | 9.1 Mw  Japan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadliest | 9.1 Mw Japan 19,747 deaths | ||
| Total fatalities | 20,925 | ||
| Number by magnitude | |||
| 9.0+ | 1 | ||
| 8.0–8.9 | 0 | ||
| 7.0–7.9 | 18 | ||
| 6.0–6.9 | 204 | ||
| 5.0–5.9 | 2271 | ||
← 2010 2012 → | |||
This is a list of earthquakes in 2011. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage and/or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. Smaller events 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. The 9.1 Tōhoku earthquake was the fourth most powerful ever recorded and triggered a massive tsunami (around 20,000 deaths). In a very busy year, many earthquakes caused damage in Turkey, New Zealand, Myanmar, India and United States.
Compared to other years
| Magnitude Ranging Between | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8−9.9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 7−7.9 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 19 |
| 6−6.9 | 126 | 140 | 141 | 140 | 142 | 178 | 168 | 144 | 151 | 204 |
| 5−5.9 | 1171 | 1203 | 1515 | 1693 | 1712 | 2074 | 1768 | 1896 | 1963 | 2271 |
| Total | 1310 | 1358 | 1672 | 1844 | 1865 | 2270 | 1948 | 2057 | 2136 | 2495 |
Note that an increase in detected earthquake numbers does not necessarily represent an increase in earthquakes per se. Population increase, habitation spread, and advances in earthquake detection technology all contribute to higher earthquake numbers being recorded over time. USGS's Website has more information.
For exact dates and live earthquakes please visit USGS's Global Earthquake Search Page and Real-time Earthquake Map or EMSC's Real-time Seismicity.
Overall
By death toll
| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19,747 | 9.1 | Japan, Tōhoku
|
IX (Violent) | 29.0 | March 11 |
| 2 | 604 | 7.1 |  Turkey, Van
|
VIII (Severe) | 7.6 | October 23 |
| 3 | 185 | 6.3 |  New Zealand, Christchurch
|
IX (Violent) | 5.0 | February 22 |
| 4 | 151 | 6.9 |  Myanmar, Shan
|
IX (Violent) | 10.0 | March 24 |
| 5 | 111 | 6.9 |  India, Sikkim
|
VIII (Severe) | 19.7 | September 18 |
| 6 | 38 | 5.6 | Turkey, Van
|
VII (Very strong) | 5.0 | November 9 |
| 7 | 26 | 5.5 |  China, Yunnan
|
VI (Strong) | 10.0 | March 10 |
| 8 | 14 | 6.2 |  Uzbekistan, Sughd
|
VI (Strong) | 20.0 | July 19 |
| 9 | 10 | 6.7 |  Indonesia, Aceh
|
VI (Strong) | 78.0 | September 5 |
- Note: At least 10 dead
By magnitude
| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9.1 | 19,747 | Japan, Tōhoku
|
March 11 |
| 2 | 7.9 | 0 | Japan, Honshu
|
March 11 |
| 3 | 7.7 | 0 | Japan, Honshu
|
March 11 |
| 4 | 7.6 | 0 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands
|
July 6 |
| 5 | 7.4 | 0 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands
|
October 21 |
| 6 | 7.3 | 0 | Japan, Honshu
|
March 9 |
| 6 | 7.3 | 0 |  Fiji, Ndoi Island
|
September 15 |
| 8 | 7.2 | 3 |  Pakistan, Balochistan
|
January 18 |
| 8 | 7.2 | 0 |  United States, Aleutian Islands
|
June 23 |
| 8 | 7.1 | 604 | Turkey, Van
|
October 23 |
| 11 | 7.1 | 0 |  Chile, Araucanía Region
|
January 2 |
| 11 | 7.1 | 4 | Japan, Honshu
|
April 7 |
| 11 | 7.1 | 0 |  Vanuatu, Port Vila
|
August 20 |
| 11 | 7.1 | 0 |  Papua New Guinea, Lae
|
December 14 |
| 15 | 7.0 | 0 |  Argentina, Santiago del Estero
|
January 1 |
| 15 | 7.0 | 0 |  New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands
|
January 13 |
| 15 | 7.0 | 0 | Japan, Honshu
|
July 10 |
| 15 | 7.0 | 0 | Vanuatu, Port Vila
|
August 20 |
| 15 | 7.0 | 0 | Vanuatu, Isangel
|
September 3 |
- Note: At least 7.0 magnitude
- Note: Aftershocks of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami are included as they are still over magnitude 7.
By month
January
| Strongest magnitude | 7.2 Mw Pakistan 7.2 Mw Chile |
|---|---|
| Deadliest | 7.2 Mw Pakistan 3 deaths |
| Total fatalities | 3 |
| Number by magnitude | |
| 8.0–8.9 | 0 |
| 7.0–7.9 | 4 |
| 6.0–6.9 | 10 |
| Date | Country and location | Mw | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dead | Injured | ||||||
| 1[1] | Argentina, Santiago del Estero Province, 26 km north northeast of El Hoyo
|
7.0 | 583.6 | V | - | - | - |
| 2[2] | Chile, Araucanía Region, 42 km north northwest of Carahue
|
7.2 | 24.0 | VII | This was an aftershock to the 2010 Chile earthquake. | - | - |
| 5[3] | New Caledonia, offshore, southeast of the Loyalty Islands
|
6.1 | 112.2 | - | - | - | - |
| 9[4] | Vanuatu, Tafea offshore, 110 km west northwest of Isangel
|
6.5 | 22.0 | V[5] | - | - | - |
| 9[6] | Vanuatu, Tafea offshore, 124 km west northwest of Isangel
|
6.1 | 18.0 | IV | This was an aftershock to the 6.5 earthquake 7 hours earlier. | - | - |
| 12[7] | Japan offshore, Bonin Islands region
|
6.4 | 512.0 | III | - | - | - |
| 13[8] | New Caledonia, Loyalty Islands offshore, 118 km north northeast of Tadine
|
7.0 | 9.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 17[9] | Indonesia, South Sumatra offshore, 129 km south southwest of Pagar Alam
|
6.0 | 36.0 | IV | - | - | - |
| 18[10] | Pakistan, Balochistan, 46 km west southwest of Dalbandin
|
7.2 | 68.0 | VII | The 2011 Dalbandin earthquake damaged 200 homes near the epicentre. One person was killed by falling debris, and two others died from heart attacks in Quetta. This was the strongest in the country since the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. | 3 | - |
| 24[11] |  Tajikistan, Gorno-Badakshan, 106 km west northwest of Murghob
|
6.0 | 110.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 26[12] | Indonesia, Aceh offshore, 58 km east southeast of Sinabang
|
6.1 | 23.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 27[13] |  Iran, Kerman Province, 119 km south southeast of Bam
|
6.2 | 10.0 | VII | This was an aftershock of the 2010 Hosseinabad earthquake. | - | - |
| 29[14] |  Norway, Svalbard and Jan Mayen offshore, 75 km east of Olonkinbyen
|
6.2 | 15.0 | - | - | - | - |
| 31[15] |  Tonga, Tongatapu, offshore, 101 km south southwest of Vaini
|
6.0 | 76.0 | V | - | - | - |
February
| Strongest magnitude | 6.9 Mw Chile |
|---|---|
| Deadliest | 6.1 Mw New Zealand 185 deaths |
| Total fatalities | 186 |
| Number by magnitude | |
| 8.0–8.9 | 0 |
| 7.0–7.9 | 0 |
| 6.0–6.9 | 17 |