This is a list of earthquakes in 1988. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury, or damage. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Maximum intensities are indicated on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale and are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) ShakeMap or the National Geophysical Data Center. Earthquake activity in 1988 was relatively low, with only 11 major events and none of magnitude 8.0+ occurring. Nevertheless, extremely destructive events took place in Burma, Nepal, China and Armenia. Burma saw two deadly earthquakes just a few months apart with the latter (on the Chinese border) claiming the lives of nearly a thousand. The Armenia earthquake in December was the deadliest earthquake in this year, with more than 25,000 deaths recorded. Early this year, Australia was also struck by an unusual series of strong earthquakes.

Overall

By death toll

RankDeath tollMagnitudeLocationMMIDepth (km)Date1, Soviet Armenia 2, , Myanmar–China border region 3, Province No. 1 4 (explosion) 5, Sagaing Region

Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

RankMagnitudeDeath tollLocationMMIDepth (km)Date= 1, Gulf of Alaska = 2, , Myanmar–China border region = 3, offshore = 4, Sagaing Region = 4, offshore Catanduanes = 5, Antofagasta = 6 offshore = 6 offshore = 7, Maluku Islands = 7, New Britain region = 7, Antofagasta

Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured2, Hokkaido6.0117.1 --3, Nei Mongol-Ningxia border region5.214.3 16 livestock killed and more than 10,000 homes collapsed. -6095.924.0 Damage to properties reported in Tirana and the surrounding villages.--12, Kermadec Islands6.614.8 - - -156.4213.7 - - -19, Antofagasta7.033.0V - -216.244.2 - - -22, Northern Territory6.35.0VIIThe first in a series of triplet earthquakes known as the 1988 Tennant Creek earthquakes. - -22, Northern Territory6.35.0VIIISecond Tennant Creek earthquake mainshock. - -22, Northern Territory6.75.0IXThe largest earthquake ever recorded in what is now Australia and the largest of the Tennant Creek earthquake sequence. Damaged pipelines were reported and a hospital was damaged. Total damage amounted to $2.5 million.296.0106.2 - - -

February

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured5, Antofagasta7.236.9 Second mainshock, caused some damages in Taltal.

A tsunami of 10 cm was reported.--5, near the coast of Antofagasta6.530.7VIAftershock of the 7.2 earthquake nearly five hours later. - -6, India-Bangladesh border region5.933.0VIDamage reported in Sylhel. Felt throughout the country, and in Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya, India.21006, Kepulauan Tanimbar6.238.5 - - -6, Oruro6.5285.2 - - -66.2125.5 - - -7, 75 km WNW of Ninilchik, Alaska6.4134.0V - -7, south of the Aleutian Islands6.433.0 - - -13, Kazakhstan6.1 - -Nuclear explosion - -16, Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska6.033.0 - - -20, Kepulauan Barat Daya6.5314.5IV - -22, Tarapaca6.770.3VII - -24, Catanduanes7.324.9VII - -26Southwest Indian Ridge6.810.0 - - -29, Komandorskiye Ostrova6.933.0 - - -

March

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured6, Gulf of Alaska7.810.0 It is the largest earthquake of the year. Damage to the vessels Exxon North Slope, Exxon Boston and Exxon New Orleans amounted to some US$5,000. A tsunami of 38 cm was recorded.--6, Gulf of Alaska6.210.0-Aftershock--10 offshore6.756.2VI - -106.6623.0 - - -11, Panama-Costa Rica border region6.022.5VI - -18Bismarck Sea6.233.0 - - -21Laptev Sea6.510.0 - - -23northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge6.210.0 - - -25, Northwest Territories6.210.0 - - -305.932.9VISome damage reported - -

April

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured46.333.0 --4, Kazakhstan6.10.0 -Nuclear explosion - -4, Kyushu offshore6.039.3V - -8, near the north coast of New Guinea6.432.3 - - -8, near the north coast of New Guinea6.133.0 -Aftershock - -12 offshore southern coast7.133.1VII - -13 offshore southern coast6.216.1VAftershock - -17, South Sandwich Islands region6.333.0 - - -256.344.3V - -

May

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured1, South Sandwich Islands region6.2137.9 --3, southeast of the Loyalty Islands6.110.8 --4, Kazakhstan6.10.0 Nuclear explosion--4, Pagan region6.4122.5 --5, Easter Island region6.310.0 - --5, Easter Island region6.110.0 Aftershock--66.686.7VI - -6, Hokkaido6.072.3V - -20central Mid-Atlantic Ridge6.110.0 - - -21, offshore Valparaiso6.142.1VI - -22, Unimak Island region6.033.0 - - -30, Kepulauan Barat Daya6.986.3VI - -

June

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured3, South Island6.782.7 --56.5110.2 --116.335.7 --12, Santa Cruz Islands6.514.4 --, Gulf of California6.710.0 --19, Mindoro6.216.7 Damage was reported during the 1988 Mindoro earthquake.2424, Luzon5.753.4VSome damage reported in Laoag. - -276.065.7 - - -28, west of Macquarie Island6.010.0 - - -

July

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured26.3142.7 --3, State of Yap6.614.6 --5, New Britain region6.853.4 Some damage was reported. Triggered a tsunami. - -, Hokkaido6.330.1 --11, Mindanao6.066.9 - - -18, Komandorskiye Ostrova6.023.2 - - -196.4137.0 - - -205.950.8VLandslides blocked a highway between Hua-lien and Su-hua.1123, southeast of the Loyalty Islands6.618.5 - - -23, New Britain region7.016.6 - - -25, Kepulauan Aru region7.027.7VI - -276.7171.6IV - -276.0176.8 -Aftershock - -28, Potosi6.2279.3 - - -31, southeast of the Loyalty Islands6.655.5 - - -

August

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured, Sagaing Region7.390.5 Although the 1988 Myanmar–India earthquake had an epicenter in Burma, much of the devastation was in neighboring India and Bangladesh. A seiche occurred in a river which capsized a ferry, killing three and leaving 30 injured or missing. This earthquake was felt in Nepal and the Soviet Union.3330, New Britain region6.125.1 - -, Hindu Kush region6.3195.0 --7.634.0 Earthquake generated a tsunami which killed one and destroyed homes in 13 villages.1-6.639.8 Aftershock--10, Easter Island region6.010.0 - - -106.8124.8VI - -11Mauritius – Reunion region6.210.0 - - -116.133.0VIISome damage reported.1 -14Sea of Okhotsk6.1644.8 - - -14, offshore Atacama6.732.5VI - -15, Mindanao6.152.0V - -17, Java6.027.1V - -17, offshore Atacama6.138.5VIAftershock - -20, Nepal-India border region6.957.4VIIIThe 1988 Nepal earthquake killed between 706 and 1,091 people on both sides of the Nepal-India border. The damage cost was about $131.5 million. A seiche in the Jamuna River killed 2 and left many missing.706-1,091Many

September

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured6, eastern New Guinea region4.30.0The Kaiapit Landslide occurred on the Saruwaged Range where 1.3 billion m3 of debris flowed through two river valleys, killing 74 people. The landslide was registered on a seismograph.74, Izu Islands6.7485.1 14, Kazakhstan6.10.0Nuclear explosion14, Antofagasta6.0122.6156.2170.2

October

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured1southern East Pacific Rise6.310.0 4, New Ireland region6.128.5 8 region7.135.2 10, Kermadec Islands6.327.716 region6.033.0V

November

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured1, South Sandwich Islands region6.333.0 36.668.5 About 100 buildings damaged. Landslides and damage to roads. Felt in El Salvador, and Mexico.53, Puerto Rico region6.033.3 Minor damage at Catano, Puerto Rico.5, southern Qinghai6.27.6IX5, southeast of the Loyalty Islands6.242.36, , Myanmar-China border region7.717.8IX-XThe 1988 Lancang earthquake is the largest and deadliest earthquake in Yunnan since 1970. Heavy damage and casualties were reported in Lancang and Mangliang county where over 200,000 buildings were destroyed. The earthquake could be felt in Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Total cost of damage is around US$270 million.9383,9006, , Myanmar-China border region6.410.0VIIIAftershock76.821.87Molucca Sea6.065.710, Guangxi4.610.0IVDamage in Qinzhou and Fangcheng.7114, New Ireland region6.733.017, Samar6.619.3VIIDamage in Catarman.2918, New Britain region6.661.0VI20southeast Indian Ridge6.110.025southeast Indian Ridge6.310.025, Saguenay Valley region, Quebec5.928.9VII1988 Saguenay earthquake30, , Myanmar-China border region6.110.0VIISeveral people injured and unconfirmed reports of nearly 10 people killed.

December

+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured6.440.1 , Armenia6.85.4 The 1988 Armenian earthquake was the deadliest earthquake of 1988. With an epicenter in what is now Armenia, it seriously damaged and destroyed thousands of homes and public infrastructures, killing at least 25,000 and injuring 31,000. 25,00031,0006.210.0 , Jan Mayen Island region6.010.0 , Kermadec Islands6.430.7 , Jujuy6.1193.6

References