List of earthquakes in 1960
This is a list of earthquakes in 1960. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they 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. An eventful year in part helped by two significant events. Firstly, in February the deadliest event of the year struck Morocco with over 13,000 deaths. The magnitude of the earthquake was a fairly modest 5.8 but its proximity to Agadir attributed to the high death toll. Secondly, in May a series of large earthquakes rocked central Chile. Part of the sequence was the largest earthquake of all time on May 22. The event reached 9.5 in magnitude and helped spawn a destructive tsunami which affected the Pacific Rim. Aside from this 1960 was active for Peru which had 3 magnitude 7.0+ events. Japan had a magnitude 8.0 in March. Iran had a deadly event in April.
Overall
By death toll
| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | Depth | Date |
| 1 |  offshore Agadir, Morocco | ||||
| 2 |  Bio-Bio Region, Chile | ||||
| 3 | 420 |  Fars Province, Iran | |||
| 4 | 66 |  off the coast of northern Peru | |||
| 5 | 63 | Arequipa Region, Peru | |||
| 6 | 47 |  Bouira Province, Algeria | |||
| 7 | 24 |  South Kivu, DR Congo |
- Note: At least 10 casualties
By magnitude
| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | Depth | Date |
| 1 | Bio-Bio Region, Chile | ||||
| 2 | 1 | Bio-Bio Region, Chile | |||
| 3 | 0 |  off the east coast of Honshu, Japan | |||
| 4 | 0 | Araucania Region, Chile | |||
| 4 | 0 | Aisen Region, Chile | |||
| 5 | 66 | off the coast of northern Peru | |||
| 6 | 63 | Arequipa Region, Peru | |||
| 7 | 1 | off the coast of Araucania Region, Chile | |||
| 8 | 0 | Antofagasta Region, Chile | |||
| 9 | 0 |  Vanuatu | |||
| 9 | 0 |  south of Fiji | |||
| 10 | 0 | Ica Region, Peru | |||
| 10 | 0 | Bio-Bio Region, Chile | |||
| 11 | 0 | off the east coast of Honshu, Japan | |||
| 11 | 0 | Araucania Region, Chile | |||
| 11 | 0 |  eastern Kamchatka, Russia | |||
| 11 | 0 | eastern Kamchatka, Russia |
- Note: At least 7.0 magnitude
Notable events
January
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Arica y Parinacota Region, Chile on January 2 at a depth of 146.2 km.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the west coast of Calabria, Italy on January 3 at a depth of 250.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Dikhil Region, Djibouti on January 4 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on January 9 at a depth of 225.4 km.
- A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Arequipa Region, Peru on January 13 at a depth of 130.0 km. 63 people were killed and another 200 were injured. Many homes were destroyed.
- A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Ica Region, Peru on January 15 at a depth of 65.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck southeast of Buru, Indonesia on January 23 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck southeast of Buru, Indonesia on January 23 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck southeast of Buru, Indonesia on January 23 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on January 29 at a depth of 204.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck southeast of Shikoku, Japan on January 31 at a depth of 20.0 km.
February
- A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Gansu Province, China on February 2 at an unknown depth. Some homes were destroyed.
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Gisborne District, New Zealand on February 3 at a depth of 85.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck east of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea on February 4 at a depth of 50.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on February 4 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck southeast of Buru, Indonesia on February 9 at a depth of 35.0 km. This followed a series that struck the same area a couple of weeks earlier.
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck southeast of Buru, Indonesia on February 9 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on February 19 at a depth of 207.9 km.
- A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Bouira Province, Algeria on February 21 at a depth of 33.0 km. 47 people were killed with a further 88 injured. Some damage was caused.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on February 24 at a depth of 50.0 km.
- A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck offshore Agadir, Morocco on February 29 at a depth of 15.0 km. 13,100 deaths were reported and another 25,000 people were injured. The city of Agadir sustained heavy damage. Costs were around $120 million.
March
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the south coast of Kyushu, Japan on March 4 at a depth of 132.2 km.
- A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck east of Halmahera, Indonesia on March 5 at a depth of 30.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Gulf of California, Mexico on March 6 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Vanuatu on March 8 at a depth of 242.7 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Arequipa Region, Peru on March 9 at a depth of 116.3 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Choco Department, Colombia on March 13 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on March 20 at a depth of 15.0 km. Some damage was caused.
- A magnitude 6.1 aftershock struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on March 21 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 7.0 aftershock struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on March 23 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.4 aftershock struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on March 23 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Jalisco, Mexico on March 27 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck south of Panama on March 28 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Vanuatu on March 29 at a depth of 10.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the east coast of Papua New Guinea on March 29 at a depth of 50.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Gulf of California, Mexico on March 31 at a depth of 15.0 km.
April
- A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Jilin Province, China on April 13 at a depth of 20.0 km. 29 homes were destroyed.
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Java Sea, Indonesia on April 24 at a depth of 607.1 km.
- A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Fars Province, Iran on April 24 at a depth of 15.0 km. 420 deaths were caused and property damage was $20 million.
- A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Gulf of Tomini, Indonesia on April 29 at a depth of 100.0 km. 50 homes were destroyed.
- A magnitude 6.0 aftershock struck the Gulf of Tomini, Indonesia on April 29 at a depth of 35.0 km.
May
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck to the east of Seram, Indonesia on May 11 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Ryukyu Islands, Japan on May 18 at a depth of 59.4 km.
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on May 19 at a depth of 98.4 km.
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck north of Norfolk Island on May 20 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- Beginning on May 21 a series of large and destructive earthquakes struck central Chile. Owing to the number of events a separate table will list the events through to the end of 1960.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the west coast of South Island, New Zealand on May 24 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Magallanes Region, Chile on May 24 at a depth of 15.0 km. This was south of the aftershock area of the 1960 Valdivia earthquake.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Korce County, Albania on May 26 at a depth of 20.0 km. 8 people were killed and some damage was reported.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Barbuda on May 31 at a depth of 30.0 km.
June
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea on June 2 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the coast of northern California on June 6 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Vanuatu on June 9 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia on June 10 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Tonga on June 10 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Potosi Department, Bolivia on June 11 at a depth of 287.2 km.
- A pair of magnitude 6.6 earthquakes struck the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, Papua New Guinea on June 11 at a depth of 30.0 km. The events were around 90 minutes apart and an example of a doublet earthquake.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on June 15 at a depth of 20.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Fox Islands on June 29 at a depth of 15.0 km.
July
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck south of Haida Gwaii, Canada on July 4 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan on July 6 at a depth of 205.1 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck south of Nias, Indonesia on July 10 at a depth of 30.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Veracruz, Mexico on July 13 at a depth of 130.7 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Oromia Region, Ethiopia on July 14 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the east coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea on July 18 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Vanuatu on July 20 at a depth of 65.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia on July 25 at a depth of 20.0 km.
- A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck eastern Kamchatka, Russia on July 25 at a depth of 137.3 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Vanuatu on July 29 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on July 29 at a depth of 53.4 km.
- A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea on July 31 at a depth of 25.0 km.
August
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands on August 2 at a depth of 82.1 km.
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Rat Islands, Alaska on August 4 at a depth of 18.6 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Retalhuleu Department, Guatemala on August 20 at a depth of 75.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia on August 24 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands, Russia on August 27 at a depth of 170.9 km.
September
- A pair of magnitude 6.1 earthquakes struck Malakula, Vanuatu on September 1 at a depth of 30.0 km. These events happened just over an hour apart.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Xizang Province, China on September 2 at a depth of 20.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck west of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea on September 3 at a depth of 423.4 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Choco Department, Colombia on September 19 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck South Kivu, DR Congo on September 22 at a depth of 13.7 km. 24 people were killed and many homes were damaged.
- A magnitude 6.3 aftershock struck South Kivu, DR Congo on September 22 at a depth of 15.0 km. This came 9 minutes after the main shock.
- A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Northern Mariana Islands on September 29 at a depth of 419.5 km.
October
- A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia on October 7 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the east coast of North Korea on October 8 at a depth of 607.5 km.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Aomori Prefecture, Honshu, Japan on October 9 at a depth of 89.2 km.
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck eastern Kamchatka, Russia on October 13 at a depth of 36.2 km.
- A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Andreanof Islands, Alaska on October 14 at a depth of 35.7 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on October 22 at a depth of 65.0 km.
- A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck eastern Kamchatka, Russia on October 28 at a depth of 107.6 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on October 28 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Antofagasta Region, Chile on October 30 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Antofagasta Region, Chile on October 30 at a depth of 95.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Volcano Islands, Japan on October 31 at a depth of 25.0 km.
November
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands on November 2 at a depth of 15.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Epirus, Greece on November 5 at a depth of 20.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia on November 6 at a depth of 33.9 km.
- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China on November 9 at a depth of 25.0 km. Many homes were destroyed.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Antofagasta Region, Chile on November 9 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on November 10 at a depth of 100.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Fox Islands on November 13 at a depth of 22.1 km.
- A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of northern Peru on November 20 at a depth of 15.0 km. The quake itself caused little damage but a tsunami washed ashore later. The result was 66 people being killed with another 2 injured. Property damage was reported with costs at $550,000.
- A magnitude 6.6 foreshock struck south of Fiji on November 23 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the east coast of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea on November 24 at a depth of 65.0 km.
- A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck south of Fiji on November 24 at a depth of 30.0 km.
December
- A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Antofagasta Region, Chile on December 2 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.8 aftershock struck Antofagasta Region, Chile on December 2 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Omnogovi Province, Mongolia on December 3 at a depth of 20.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica on December 6 at a depth of 35.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Tarapaca Region, Chile on December 6 at a depth of 49.6 km. This happened at exactly the same time as the previous event.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Vanuatu on December 11 at a depth of 65.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands on December 14 at a depth of 25.0 km.
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the south coast of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea on December 22 at a depth of 423.5 km.
Central Chile earthquakes
| Date | Time | Location | Depth | Magnitude | Notes |
| 1960-05-21 | 10:02:57 | Bio-Bio Region | 8.1 | Foreshock to larger event next day. At least 1 person died and at least 101 were injured. Some damage caused. | |
| 1960-05-21 | 10:53:58 | Bio-Bio Region | 6.6 | Foreshock. | |
| 1960-05-21 | 13:00:04 | Bio-Bio Region | 6.2 | Foreshock. | |
| 1960-05-22 | 10:30:44 | Bio-Bio Region | 7.1 | Foreshock. | |
| 1960-05-22 | 10:32:47 | Bio-Bio Region | 6.8 | Foreshock. | |
| 1960-05-22 | 18:56:02 | Araucania Region | 7.8 | Foreshock. | |
| 1960-05-22 | 19:11:20 | Bio-Bio Region | 9.5 | Largest earthquake recorded by a seismograph. Immense destruction caused in Chile and other countries owing to a tsunami which was triggered by the event. In all 2,223 people were killed and 3,000 were hurt. 58,622 homes were destroyed. Property damage costs were $1 billion. | |
| 1960-05-23 | 00:25:48 | off the coast of Araucania Region | 6.5 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-23 | 00:54:00 | Los Rios Region | 6.9 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-23 | 02:46:35 | Los Lagos Region | 6.2 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-23 | 05:13:39 | Araucania Region | 6.4 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-23 | 09:52:22 | Bio-Bio Region | 6.2 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-23 | 10:38:04 | Los Lagos Region | 6.1 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-25 | 08:34:42 | off the coast of Aisen Region | 6.7 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-26 | 19:58:48 | Los Lagos Region | 6.9 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-28 | 11:05:47 | Araucania Region | 6.0 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-05-29 | 07:39:33 | Bio-Bio Region | 6.3 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-06-01 | 05:03:02 | Araucania Region | 6.1 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-06-02 | 05:58:06 | Aisen Region | 6.1 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-06-06 | 05:55:48 | Aisen Region | 7.8 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-06-20 | 02:01:14 | Araucania Region | 7.0 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-06-20 | 12:59:46 | Araucania Region | 6.9 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-06-29 | 01:57:19 | Los Lagos Region | 6.1 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-08-13 | 14:14:56 | off the coast of Los Lagos Region | 6.7 | Aftershock. | |
| 1960-11-01 | 08:45:59 | off the coast of Araucania Region | 7.4 | Aftershock. At least 1 person died and some damage was caused. | |
| 1960-11-22 | 12:28:54 | off the coast of Los Lagos Region | 6.2 | Aftershock. |