This is a list of earthquakes in 1902 . Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Exceptions to this are earthquakes which 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. The countries and their flags are noted as they would have appeared in this year for example the Netherlands being present-day Indonesia . The number of large (Magnitude 7.0+) events remained similar to the last couple of years. There were a number of events which caused high casualties. The deadliest quake struck Emirate of Bukhara in December. China and Guatemala also experienced high death tolls during the year.
Note : At least 10 casualties
Rank
Magnitude
Death toll
Location
MMI
Depth (km)
Date
1
8.0
0
Russian Empire , Sea of Okhotsk
IV (Light )
600.0
June 11
2
7.8
0
Mexico , Chiapas
VII (Very strong )
0.0
September 23
3
7.7
10,000
Qing Dynasty , Xinjiang Province , China
X (Extreme )
0.0
August 22
= 4
7.5
2,000
Guatemala , Escuintla Department
VII (Very strong )
0.0
April 19
= 4
7.5
0
German Empire , Northern Mariana Islands
IX (Violent )
0.0
September 22
5
7.3
101
United States , Mindanao , Philippines
X (Extreme )
0.0
August 21
= 6
7.2
0
German Empire , New Britain , German New Guinea
( )
0.0
January 24
= 6
7.2
0
Afghanistan , Badakhshan Province
( )
200.0
October 6
7
7.1
0
Mexico , Baja California
( )
0.0
December 12
= 8
7.0
0
United States , Fox Islands (Alaska)
( )
0.0
January 1
= 8
7.0
0
Netherlands , Celebes Sea , Dutch East Indies
( )
0.0
January 12
= 8
7.0
2
Mexico , Guerrero
( )
0.0
January 16
= 8
7.0
0
Japan , off the east coast of Honshu
( )
35.0
May 2
Note : At least 7.0 magnitude
January Strongest magnitude 7.2 Mw German Empire Deadliest 7.0 Mw Mexico 2 deaths Total fatalities 2 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 4 6.0–6.9 5
Date
Country and location
Mw
Depth (km)
MMI
Notes
Casualties
Dead
Injured
1 [ 1]
United States , Fox Islands (Alaska)
7.0
0.0
Depth unknown.
12 [ 2]
Netherlands , Celebes Sea , Dutch East Indies
7.0
0.0
Depth unknown.
16 [ 3]
Mexico , Guerrero
7.0
0.0
Depth unknown. 2 people were killed and another 2 were injured. Damage was caused in the area.
2
2
17 [ 4]
Japan , south of Hokkaido
6.5
35.0
18 [ 5]
Guatemala , Quetzaltenango Department
6.3
0.0
Depth unknown. Some homes were damaged or destroyed.
24 [ 6]
German Empire , south of New Britain , German New Guinea
7.2
0.0
Depth unknown.
30 [ 7]
Japan , Aomori Prefecture , Honshu
6.9
35.0
30 [ 8]
Japan , off the east coast of Honshu
6.9
0.0
Depth unknown. Doublet earthquake .
31 [ 9]
Japan , south of Hokkaido
6.6
35.0
March Strongest magnitude 6.9 Mw Netherlands Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 0 6.0–6.9 3
April Strongest magnitude 7.5 Mw Mexico Deadliest 7.5 Mw México 2,000 deaths Total fatalities 2,000 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 1 6.0–6.9 1
May Strongest magnitude 7.0 Mw Japan Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 1 6.0–6.9 2
June Strongest magnitude 8.0 Mw Russian Empire Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 1 7.0–7.9 0 6.0–6.9 0
July Strongest magnitude 6.8 Mw Tonga Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 0 6.0–6.9 3
Date
Country and location
Mw
Depth (km)
MMI
Notes
Casualties
Dead
Injured
21 [ 29]
United States , Moro Gulf , Philippines
7.3
0.0
X
At least 101 people were killed and major damage was reported. Depth unknown.
101
22 [ 30] [ 31] [ 32]
Qing Dynasty , Xinjiang Province , China
7.7
18.0
X
The 1902 Turkestan earthquake killed 5,650 people and caused major damage.[ 33]
10,000
30 [ 34]
Qing Dynasty , Xinjiang Province , China
6.8
0.0
Aftershock. Depth unknown.
31 [ 35]
Qing Dynasty , Yunnan Province , China
5.5
0.0
VII
6 people were killed. Many homes were destroyed or damaged.
6
September Strongest magnitude 7.8 Mw Mexico Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 2 6.0–6.9 0
October Strongest magnitude 7.2 Mw Afghanistan Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 1 6.0–6.9 0
November Strongest magnitude 6.9 Mw 2 events Total fatalities 0 8.0–8.9 0 7.0–7.9 0 6.0–6.9 3
^ "M 7.0 - Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska" . United States Geological Survey . January 1, 1902. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . January 12, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: MEXICO: GUERRERO" . National Geophysical Data Center . January 16, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . January 17, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: GUATEMALA: SAN MARTIN, QUEZALTENANGO" . National Geophysical Data Center . January 18, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . January 24, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . January 30, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . January 30, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . January 31, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . February 9, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . February 9, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: AZERBAIJAN: SEMACHA; N IRAN" . National Geophysical Data Center . February 13, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . February 17, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . February 20, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . March 5, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . March 22, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . March 28, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . April 11, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "M 7.5 - Guatemala" . United States Geological Survey . April 19, 1902. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
^ "M 7.5 - Guatemala" . United States Geological Survey . April 19, 1902. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: GUATEMALA: QUEZALTENANGO, SAN MARCOS" . National Geophysical Data Center . April 19, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . May 2, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . May 8, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . May 28, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: RUSSIA: SEA OF OKHOTSK" . National Geophysical Data Center . June 11, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . July 3, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: TURKEY: THESSALONIKI" . National Geophysical Data Center . July 5, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . July 6, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: PHILIPPINES: MINDANAO: LANAO, COTABATO" . National Geophysical Data Center . August 21, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "M 7.7 - Kyrgyzstan-Xinjiang border region" . United States Geological Survey . August 22, 1902. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
^ "M 7.7 - Kyrgyzstan-Xinjiang border region" . United States Geological Survey . August 22, 1902. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: CHINA: XINJIANG, TURKESTAN" . National Geophysical Data Center . August 22, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ Utsu, T. "Search Page" . Catalog of Damaging Earthquakes in the World (Through 2008) . Retrieved April 10, 2021 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . August 30, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: CHINA: YUNNAN PROVINCE" . National Geophysical Data Center . August 31, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "M 7.5 - Alamagan region, Northern Mariana Islands" . United States Geological Survey . September 22, 1902. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: GUAM: AGANA" . National Geophysical Data Center . September 22, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "M 7.8 - Chiapas, Mexico" . United States Geological Survey . September 23, 1902. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
^ "M 7.8 - Chiapas, Mexico" . United States Geological Survey . September 23, 1902. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: MEXICO: VENUSTIANO CARRANZA,CHIAPAS,CHIS,TABASCO" . National Geophysical Data Center . September 23, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . October 6, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . November 4, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . November 20, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . November 21, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Centennial Earthquake Catalog" . United States Geological Survey . December 12, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .
^ "Significant Earthquake: UZBEKISTAN: ANDIZHAN" . National Geophysical Data Center . December 16, 1902. Retrieved November 16, 2015 .