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
Number of Earthquakes Worldwide for 2000–2012
Magnitude Ranging Between
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
8 - 9.9
1
1
0
1
2
1
2
4
0
1
1
1
2
7 - 7.9
14
15
13
14
14
10
9
14
12
16
21
19
4
6 - 6.9
146
121
127
140
141
140
142
178
168
144
151
185
63
5 - 5.9
1344
1224
1201
1203
1515
1693
1712
2074
1768
1896
1963
2276
794
Total
1505
1361
1341
1358
1672
1844
1865
2270
1948
2057
2136
2481
862
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
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near island of Efate, Vanuatu on February 2, at a depth of 23.1 km. This was later followed by a magnitude 6.0 aftershock, at a depth of 21.7 km.[13][14]
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near Isangel, Vanuatu on February 5, at a depth of 163.4 km.[15]
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near island of Efate, Vanuatu on February 5, at a depth of 10.3 km.[16]
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck off New Caledonia on the March 3, at a depth of 15.2 km.[24]
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck northern Sasowa, near Añatuya, on March 5, at a depth of 550 km.[25]
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Vanuatu, near Isangel, on March 9, at a depth of 31.7 km.[26]
A magnitude 7.0 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.[27][28]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea, near Kimbe, New Britain, on March 14, at a depth of 47.8 km.[29]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck near Abepura, Indonesia, on March 20, at a depth of 67 km.[30]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea, near Taron, on April 6, at a depth of 85.4 km.[38]
A magnitude 8.6 earthquake hit Indonesia, off northern Sumatra, on April 11 at a depth of 22.9 km followed by several aftershocks including an 8.2.[39] Five people died and several others were injured.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the southeast coast of Taiwan on April 11 at a depth of 10 km.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit Mexico, near Michoacan, on April 11, at a depth of 20 km.[40]
A magnitude 6.2 struck Baja California, Mexico on April 12 followed by a strong aftershock of 6.9.[41]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit Drake Passage, near Argentina and Chile, on April 14, at a depth of 9.9 km.[42]
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck near Isangel, Vanuatu, on April 14 at a depth of 8.0 km.[43]
A magnitude 6.2 struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, on April 15 at a depth of 15.2 km.[44]
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Chile, near Valparaíso, on April 17, at a depth of 37 km.[45] One person died of a heart attack and another due to the loss of power at a local hospital.[46][47]
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea, about 137 km north of Lae, on April 17 at a depth of 208.2 km.[48]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck east of the South Sandwich Islands, on April 17 at a depth of 1 km.[49]
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia, on April 21 at a depth of 29.8 km.[50]
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake hit Tonga, near Neiafu, on April 28, at a depth of 129.4 km.[51]
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore of Chiapas in Mexico on May 1, at a depth of 14 km.[52]
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck the western part of Azerbaijan on May 7, at a depth of 23 km. Two people lost their lives — one was crushed by a wall, while the other had a heart attack.[53]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck near the Peru-Chile border on May 14, at a depth of 98.3 km.[54]
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck about 180 km off the east coast of Honshu Japan on May 20, at a depth of 15 km.[60]
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck 24 km west of Bulgaria's capital Sofia on May 22, at a depth of 9.4 km. A woman who suffered a heart attack was the only indirect fatality.[61]
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck about 100 km northeast of Hokkaido Japan on May 23, at a depth of 40.7 km.[62]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit 600 km northwest of Tromso Norway on May 24, at a depth of 8.8 km.[63]
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck about 225 km northwest of Iwo Jima, in the Bonin Islands region of Japan on May 26, at a depth of 472.6 km.[64]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean 346 km south of David, Panama on 4 June, at a depth of 7 km.[68]
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean 323 km south of David, Panama on 4 June, at a depth of 5.9 km.[69]
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Arequipa, Peru on 7 June, at a depth of 99.7 km.[70]
Two earthquakes measuring 5.4 and 5.7 struck Afghanistan on June 11, collapsing buildings and triggering landslides, one of which buried the village of Sayi Hazara.[71] 75 people were reported dead as a result of the landslide.[72]
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit Philippines near Dagupan, Luzon, on June 16, at a depth of 35.3 km.[73]
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean 28 km southeast of Ofunato, Japan on 18 June, at a depth of 36 km.[74]
A magnitude 6.1 quake struck near the east coast of Kamchatka on June 24, at a depth of 17 km.[76]
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the Sichuan-Yunnan border region of China on June 24, at a depth of 9.3 km (5.8 miles). At least four people died, and more than 150 others were injured.[77][78]
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Northern Xinjiang on June 30, at a depth of 10 km.[79]
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Indonesia Magnitude 8.6
Negros Oriental, Philippines
Baghlan province, Afghanistan
Medolla, Italy
Oaxaca, Mexico
Talca, Chile
Vanuatu
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Izu Islands, Japan, on January 1, at a depth of 348.5 km.[1]
An earthquake swarm of over fifty quakes, including a magnitude 5.1 and a 5.5, struck Christchurch, New Zealand, on January 1.[2][3]
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands, on January 8, at a depth of 38.9 km.[4]
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck off the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica on January 15, at a depth of 10.0 km.[6]
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands region on January 22, at a depth of 13 km.[9]
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck near the coast of Central Peru on January 30, at a depth of 39.2 km.[12]
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Oregon, on February 15, at a depth of 10 km.[22]
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck southwestern Siberia, Russia on February 26, at a depth of 11.7 km.[23]
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck off New Caledonia on the March 3, at a depth of 15.2 km.[24]
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck northern Sasowa, near Añatuya, on March 5, at a depth of 550 km.[25]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea, near Kimbe, New Britain, on March 14, at a depth of 47.8 km.[29]
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean, near Clipperton Island, on March 26, at a depth of 9 km.[35]
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the southeast coast of Taiwan on April 11 at a depth of 10 km.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake hit Tonga, near Neiafu, on April 28, at a depth of 129.4 km.[51]
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck the western part of Azerbaijan on May 7, at a depth of 23 km. Two people lost their lives — one was crushed by a wall, while the other had a heart attack.[53]
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck 24 km west of Bulgaria's capital Sofia on May 22, at a depth of 9.4 km. A woman who suffered a heart attack was the only indirect fatality.[61]
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit 600 km northwest of Tromso Norway on May 24, at a depth of 8.8 km.[63]
Panama 
A magnitude 6.0 quake struck 24 km northwest of Macquarie Island Australia, on June 22, at a depth of 9.9 km.[75]
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the Sichuan-Yunnan border region of China on June 24, at a depth of 9.3 km (5.8 miles). At least four people died, and more than 150 others were injured.[77][78]