This is a list of earthquakes in 1987. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. All dates are listed according to UTC time.
By death toll Rank Magnitude Deaths Location MMI Depth (km) Date17.11,000 Ecuador, Napo10.026.737 Indonesia, East Nusa Tenggara33.0
By magnitude Rank Magnitude Deaths Location Max Intensity Depth (km) Date (MM-DD)17.90 United States, Alaska offshore10.027.61 Chile, Antofagasta62.327.40 Papua New Guinea, West New Britain offshore47.827.40 Australia, Macquarie Island offshore33.027.43 Papua New Guinea, Morobe offshore54.967.30 Tonga, Vava'u offshore16.077.25 Chile, Tarapacá69.777.21,000 Ecuador, Napo10.097.10 Indonesia, Banda Sea offshore67.3107.00 Papua New Guinea, Bougainville offshore24.7107.00 Argentina, Jujuy248.7107.00 Chile, Antofagasta offshore34.8107.00 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, South Sandwich Islands offshore47.6
By month
January
+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured2, Ismailia5.024.1V Minor damage occurred in Ismailia. - -3, Bismarck Sea offshore6.25.0IThis two similarly sized earthquakes occurring an hour apart can be considered a doublet earthquake. - -3, Bismarck Sea offshore6.35.0I - -3, Sanma6.714.5VII - - -4, Chiriquí offshore6.310.0I - - -5, Alaska offshore6.833.0V - - -5, Xinjiang5.716.5VII Several people were injured and damage occurred in Baicheng. - Several7, Korçë5.013.5VI Damage occurred in Ersekë and Gostivisht. - -9, Iwate6.666.7VI Minor damage occurred in Morioka and Ōfunato. - -9, Tongatapu offshore6.533.0I - - -11, Fars4.99.7VI 300 houses were damaged in Doshman Ziari. - -13, Chocó offshore6.010.0II - - -13southern East Pacific Rise6.010.0I - - -14, Hokkaido6.8102.0VI Six people were injured. - 615, La Libertad4.010.0IV This is an aftershock of the 1986 San Salvador earthquake. Additional damage was caused, with many structures previously damaged by the October event collapsed. - -22 Italy, Tuscany offshore4.221.6IV Two people died of heart attacks. 2 -24, Xinjiang6.2 28.9VII 417 houses were damaged in Wushi. - -26, Chlef4.910.0VI One person was killed, another seven were injured, and 629 houses were damaged in Mohammadia. 1 730 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, South Sandwich Islands offshore7.047.6I - - -
February
+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured6, Fukushima offshore6.435.6IV It is a foreshock of the 6.8 quake an hour later. - -6, Fukushima offshore6.847.7V Small tsunamis were observed, the largest having 12 cm at Onahama. - -7, Morobe offshore6.227.4VI It is a foreshock of the 7.4 event two days later. - -
References
Notes