WThis is a list of earthquakes in 1946. 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. Several great shocks affected the planet in 1946. The largest was one of the most significant in human terms. The quake itself was a magnitude 8.6 striking on April 1 in Alaska resulting in a tsunami mainly affecting Hawaii. The consequence of this apart from many deaths was the foundation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. This organisation has helped to substantially reduce the death toll of tsunamis in the Pacific, although there have been a few exceptions, including the 2011 Japan event. Japan itself was heavily affected in 1946 by a large quake hitting in December, causing 1,362 deaths. The Dominican Republic was another nation that suffered great destruction in August. Turkey, Peru, and Turkmenistan all saw earthquakes causing many deaths. In general, 1946 was a busy year, with 21 events measuring above 7.0 and three exceeding a magnitude of 8.0.
WThe 1946 Sagaing earthquakes struck central Burma at 15:17 local time on September 12. The first earthquake registered a magnitude of 8.0 and was followed-up by an M7.8 main shock. Both events remain some of the largest in the country since the 1762 Arakan Earthquake.
WThe 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake occurred near the Aleutian Islands, Alaska on April 1. The shock had a moment magnitude of 8.6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong). It resulted in 165–173 casualties and over $26 million in damage. The seafloor along the fault was elevated, triggering a Pacific-wide tsunami with multiple destructive waves at heights ranging from 45–130 ft. The tsunami obliterated the Scotch Cap Lighthouse on Unimak Island, Alaska among others, and killed all five lighthouse keepers. Despite the destruction to the Aleutian Island Unimak, the tsunami had almost an imperceptible effect on the Alaskan mainland.
WThe 1946 Dominican Republic earthquake occurred on August 4 at 17:51 UTC near Samaná, Dominican Republic. The mainshock measured 8.1 on the surface wave magnitude scale and an aftershock occurred four days later on August 8 at 13.28 UTC with a magnitude of 7.6. A tsunami was generated by the initial earthquake and caused widespread devastation across Hispaniola. The tsunami was observed in much of the Caribbean and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean.
WThe 1946 Hsinhua earthquake, also referred to as the 1946 Tainan earthquake was a magnitude 6.1 earthquake which hit Tainan County, Taiwan, on 5 December 1946, at 06:47. The quake claimed 74 lives and was the eighth deadliest earthquake in twentieth century Taiwan.
WThe 1946 Nankai earthquake was a great earthquake in Nankaidō, Japan. It occurred on December 21, 1946, at 04:19 JST. The earthquake measured between 8.1 and 8.4 on the moment magnitude scale, and was felt from Northern Honshū to Kyūshū. It occurred almost two years after the 1944 Tōnankai earthquake, which ruptured the adjacent part of the Nankai megathrust.
WThe 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake struck Vancouver Island on the Coast of British Columbia, Canada, on June 23 at 10:15 a.m. with a magnitude estimated at 7.0 Ms and 7.5 Mw. The main shock epicenter occurred in the Forbidden Plateau area northwest of Courtenay. While most of the large earthquakes in the Vancouver area occur at tectonic plate boundaries, the 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake was a crustal event. Shaking was felt from Portland, Oregon to Prince Rupert, British Columbia. This is one of the most damaging earthquakes in the history of British Columbia, but damage was restricted because there were no heavily populated areas near the epicentre, where severe shaking occurred.
WThe 1946 Varto–Hınıs earthquake occurred at 05:12:46 local time on 31 May. The earthquake had an estimated moment magnitude of 5.9 and a maximum felt intensity of VIII (Severe) on the Mercalli intensity scale, causing between 800 and 1300 casualties.