Earthquakes in 2012

This is a list of earthquakes in 2012. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage and/or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. All dates are listed according to UTC time.

Compared to other years
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 Earthquake Myths has more information.'' For exact dates and live earthquakes please visit USGS and EMSC web sites

By death toll

 * Note: At least 10 casualties

By bigness

 * Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

January

 * A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Izu Islands, Japan, on January 1, at a depth of 348.5km.
 * An earthquake swarm of over fifty quakes, including a magnitude 5.1 and a 5.5, struck Christchurch, New Zealand, on January 1.
 * A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands, on January 8, at a depth of 38.9km.
 * A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia on January 11, at a depth of 20.5km.
 * A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck off the South Shetland Islands on January 15, at a depth of 10.0km.
 * A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the South Shetland Islands on January 15, at a depth of 14.8km.
 * A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the coast of Chiapas, Mexico on January 21, at a depth of 79.5km.
 * A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands region on January 22, at a depth of 13km.
 * A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Biobío Region, Chile on January 23, at a depth of 29.7km.
 * A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck near Fiji on January 24, at a depth of 582.8km.
 * A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck near the coast of Central Peru on January 30, at a depth of 39.2km.

February

 * 🇻🇺 A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near island of Efate, Vanuatu on February 2, at a depth of 23.1km. This was later followed by a magnitude 6.0 aftershock, at a depth of 21.7km.
 * 🇻🇺 A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near Isangel, Vanuatu on February 5, at a depth of 163.4km.
 * 🇻🇺 A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near island of Efate, Vanuatu on February 5, at a depth of 10.3km.
 * 🇵🇭 A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck near island of Negros, and Cebu, Philippines on February 6, at a depth of 20km, killing at least 105 people.
 * 🇵🇭 A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the island of Negros, on February 6, at a depth of 15km.
 * 🇯🇵 A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck east of Honshu, on February 14, at a depth of 10km.
 * 🇸🇧 A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near Kirakira, on February 14, at a depth of 54.7km.
 * 🇺🇸 A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Oregon, on February 15, at a depth of 10km.
 * 🇷🇺 A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck southwestern Siberia, Russia on February 26, at a depth of 11.7km.

March

 * 🇳🇨 A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck off New Caledonia on the March 3, at a depth of 15.2km.
 * 🇦🇷 A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck northern Argentina, near Añatuya, on March 5, at a depth of 550km.
 * 🇻🇺 A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Vanuatu, near Isangel, on March 9, at a depth of 31.7km.
 * 🇯🇵 A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck near Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan, on March 14, at a depth of 26.6 km. This was followed two hours later by a magnitude 6.1 at a depth of 9.5 km.
 * 🇵🇬 A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea, near Kimbe, New Britain, on March 14, at a depth of 47.8 km.
 * 🇮🇩 A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck near Abepura, Indonesia, on March 20, at a depth of 67 km.
 * 🇲🇽 A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Oaxaca, Mexico, on March 20, at a depth of 20 km.
 * 🇵🇬 A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck New Guinea, Papua New Guinea on March 21, at a depth of 105.9 km.
 * 🇦🇺 A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Southern Australia on March 23, at a depth of 10.7km. This is the first significant quake in the area since 1989.