This is a list of earthquakes in 2004. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they resulted in significant damage or casualties, or were notable for some other reason. All dates are listed according to UTC time. The year 2004 had the most major earthquakes since 1999. In total, there were 16 magnitude 7.0+ earthquakes this year, 6 of them were in Indonesia. Most of the earthquake deaths in 2004 were caused by the magnitude 9.1–9.3 earthquake
off the west coast of Sumatra on December. Most of the deaths were caused by a devastating tsunami that spread across the Indian Ocean. There were several other deadly and destructive earthquakes, including Morocco's largest earthquake to date, which caused 628 deaths. Japan was hit by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake, which caused 68 deaths and $28 billion in damages, making it the fourth costliest earthquake in history.
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.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Finca Blanco, Panama on February 4 at a depth of 29.2 km (18.1 mi), 4 People were injured.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on February 5 at a depth of 16.6 km (10.3 mi), 37 people were killed and 682 were injured.
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on February 7 at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 mi)
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Nabire, Indonesia on February 8 at a depth of 25.7 km (16.0 mi).
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Madaba Governorate, Jordan on February 11 at the depth of 26.7 km (16.6 mi). Four people were injured and a landslide occurred at Ma'in.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Pakistan at the depth of 11 km (6.8 mi). 24 people were killed and around 40 people were injured.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Lata, Solomon Islands on February 20 at a depth of 84 km (52 mi).
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on February 21 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi).
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Padang, Indonesia on February 22 at a depth of 42 km (26 mi).
A magnitude 6.3 Earthquake struck Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna at a depth of 31 km (19 mi).
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Mauritius-Réunion region on February 26 at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi).
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Al Hoceima at the depth of 12.2 km (7.6 mi). Between 628 and 631 people were killed and 926 were injured.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Near Macquarie island on February 26 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi)
A magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck Adiyaman Province, Turkey on March 1 at a depth of 5 km (3.1 mi). 6 people were killed and 2 people were injured.
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua on March 2 at a depth of 28 km (17 mi).
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on March 7 at a depth of 7.0 km (4.3 mi).
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge on March 8 at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi).
magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on March 9 at a depth of 8.4 km (5.2 mi).
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Hihifo, Tonga on March 14 At a Depth 12.0 km (7.5 mi).
A magnitude 6.1 Earthquake struck Tupiza, Bolivia on March 17 at a depth of 289.8 km (180.1 mi).
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Kastrí, Greece on March 17 at a depth of 24.5 km (15.2 mi).
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Erzurum Province on March 26 at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi). 10 people were killed and 46 were injured.
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Erzurum Province on March 28 at the depth of 5 km (3.1 mi). 12 people were injured and 50 buildings were damaged in 10 villages.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Xizang, Tibet on March 27 At a depth of 8.0 km (5.0 mi).
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Hualien City, Taiwan on May 1 at the depth of 44.6 km (27.7 mi). 2 people were killed and 1 injured by a rockslide in Hua-lien County and a bridge collapsed at Taroko National Park.
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Bio-Bio Region on May 9 at the depth of 21 km (13 mi).
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Kavieng, Papua New Guinea on May 13 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi).
A magnitude 6.2 Earthquake struck Hengchun, Taiwan on May 19 at a depth of 20.0 km (12.4 mi).
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Jumla, Nepal on July 11 at a depth of 13.0 km (8.1 mi).
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Kobarid, Slovenia on July 12 at the depth of 7.7 km (4.8 mi). 1 person died and 5 others were injured by a rockslide triggered by the earthquake at Bovec.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Fiji Islands on July 15 at the depth of 565.5 km (351.4 mi).
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Kawerau, New Zealand at the depth of 5.0 km (3.1 mi). 1 person died and 2 people were injured and five houses were severely damaged at Lake Rotoma.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Vernon, Canada on July 19 at a depth of 23.7 km (14.7 mi).
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on July 27 at a depth of 582.1 km (361.7 mi). This was possibly a foreshock to the 9.1 event later that year.[9]
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Honshu on September 5 at the depth of 14 km (8.7 mi), This was a Foreshock to the 7.4 Quake 4 Hours Later.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Honshu on September 5 at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi) and a Modified Mercalli Intensity of V (Moderate).
A magnitude 6.9 Earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on September 6 at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 mi).
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Catamarca Province on September 7 at the depth of 22.3 km (13.9 mi), one person died.[10]
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck , Kaliningrad Oblast at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi). 3 people were injured and 17 houses were damaged at Kaliningrad.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Northern California on September 28 at a depth of 8.1 km (5.0 mi).[11]
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Niigata Prefecture on October 23 at the depth of 10.5 km (6.5 mi). It was an aftershock of the 6.6 earthquake only 7 minutes prior.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi).
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Hokkaido, Japan on October 29 at a depth of 39.0 km (24.2 mi).
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Fiji region on November 17 at the depth of 622.6 km (386.9 mi).
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck West Papua, Indonesia on November 26, at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi) 32 people were killed, and over 200 were injured.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck just off the western coast of Colombia on November 15, at the depth of 15 km (9.3 mi). Ten people were injured.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Puntarenas on November 20 at the depth of 16 km (9.9 mi), 8 people Were killed and 500 homes were destroyed.[12][13]
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Dominica on November 21, at a depth of 13 km (8.1 mi). 1 person was killed and 13 were injured. A small tsunami was generated.[14]
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck off the Southwestern coast of the South Island of New Zealand on November 22 at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi).
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Easter Island on November 28 at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi).
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the southern coast of the Cayman Islands on December 14 at the depth of 10 km (6.2 mi). 29.4 km (18.3 mi).[15]
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Muğla Province, Turkey on December 20 at the depth of 5.0 km (3.1 mi). 3 people were injured and several buildings were damaged and rockslides occurred at Marmaris.[16]
A magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on December 26, at a depth of 30.0 km (18.6 mi) and a Modified Mercalli Intensity of IX (Violent), causing a destructive tsunami which killed at least 227,898 people, making it the deadliest tsunami ever recorded. The waves reached as far as Africa.
A magnitude 7.2 Earthquake struck The Nicobar islands on December 26, at a depth of 39.2 km (24.4 mi) and a Modified Mercalli Intensity of VI (Strong). It is an aftershock of the magnitude 9.1 earthquake 3 hours prior.[17]
Note: Due to cluttering, the aftershocks of the 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra on December 26 was excluded.