Earth · earthquakes
A year of strong earthquakes
Each spike is a magnitude 5.5+ earthquake of the last twelve months (USGS ComCat); its height follows the magnitude, its colour the depth. Rings mark the strongest. Earthquakes outline the plate boundaries.
- < 70 km (shallow)
- 70–300 km (intermediate)
- > 300 km (deep)
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 4.6
Strongest in the catalogue
M 9.5
Earthquakes M ≥ 7
1,622
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,258
1900 → 2026-10-29
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
Current · provisional
Earthquakes M ≥ 7
1,622
including 100 M ≥ 8
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 4.6
2026-10-29 10:38 UTC · Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
Strongest in the catalogue
M 9.5
1960-05-22 · 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake (Valdivia Earthquake)
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
Earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 in the last 30 days of the catalogue
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
Earthquakes M ≥ 7 and M ≥ 6 per year
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
Current · provisional
Show the data as a table
Earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 per year
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
Current · provisional
Show the data as a table
Ten strongest earthquakes in the USGS catalogue (since 1900)
| # | M | Date | Place | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9.5 mw | 1960-05-22 | 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake (Valdivia Earthquake) | 25 km |
| 2 | 9.2 mw | 1964-03-28 | The 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska Earthquake | 25 km |
| 3 | 9.1 mw | 2004-12-25 | 2004 Sumatra - Andaman Islands Earthquake | 30 km |
| 4 | 9.1 mww | 2011-03-11 | 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake, Japan | 29 km |
| 5 | 9.0 mw | 1952-11-04 | 89 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 22 km |
| 6 | 8.8 mw | 1906-01-31 | 1906 Ecuador-Colombia Earthquake | 20 km |
| 7 | 8.8 mww | 2010-02-27 | 2010 Maule, Chile Earthquake | 23 km |
| 8 | 8.8 mww | 2025-07-29 | 2025 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia Earthquake | 35 km |
| 9 | 8.7 mw | 1965-02-04 | 1965 Western Aleutian Islands (Hawadax/Rat Islands) Earthquake | 30 km |
| 10 | 8.6 mw | 1946-04-01 | The 1946 Unimak Island, Alaska Earthquake | 15 km |
Deadliest earthquakes (NCEI significant earthquake database)
NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite NCEI/WDS · 10/23/26
| # | Year | Place | M | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1556 | CHINA: SHAANXI PROVINCE | 8.0 | 830,000 |
| 2 | 2010 | HAITI: PORT-AU-PRINCE tsunami | 7.0 | 316,000 |
| 3 | 115 | TURKEY: ANTAKYA (ANTIOCH) tsunami | 7.5 | 260,000 |
| 4 | 525 | TURKEY: ANTAKYA (ANTIOCH), SAMANDAG | 7.0 | 250,000 |
| 5 | 1976 | CHINA: NE: TANGSHAN | 7.5 | 242,769 |
| 6 | 1920 | CHINA: GANSU PROVINCE, SHANXI PROVINCE tsunami | 8.3 | 235,502 |
| 7 | 1139 | AZERBAIJAN: GYZNDZHA | — | 230,000 |
| 8 | 2004 | INDONESIA: SUMATRA: ACEH: OFF WEST COAST tsunami | 9.1 | 227,899 |
| 9 | 856 | IRAN: DAMGHAN, QUMIS | 7.9 | 200,000 |
| 10 | 893 | ARMENIA: DVIN; IRAN: ARDABIL | — | 150,000 |
Filterable USGS catalogue
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/29/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-03-11 20:15 | 6.4 mw | south of Africa | 10 km | -51.15, 29.26 |
| 1991-03-09 00:01 | 6.0 mw | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -54.88, -131.53 |
| 1991-03-08 10:36 | 6.6 mw | 74 km NE of Tilichiki, Russia | 13 km | 60.90, 167.02 |
| 1991-03-03 14:20 | 6.2 mw | 60 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga | 16 km | -21.87, -175.06 |
| 1991-03-01 16:30 | 6.2 mw | 13 km SE of Los Chiles, Costa Rica | 197 km | 10.94, -84.64 |
| 1991-02-25 13:30 | 6.0 mw | 118 km WSW of Aykol, China | 21 km | 40.39, 78.96 |
| 1991-02-21 01:35 | 6.7 mw | Bering Sea | 20 km | 58.43, -175.45 |
| 1991-02-18 01:37 | 7.0 mw | 18 km E of Aras-asan, Philippines | 24 km | 8.87, 126.48 |
| 1991-02-17 05:59 | 6.0 mw | 191 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu | 59 km | -21.19, 169.83 |
| 1991-02-16 00:23 | 6.1 mw | 297 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 39 km | 48.27, 154.33 |
| 1991-02-14 22:31 | 6.0 mw | Easter Island region | 10 km | -22.34, -112.58 |
| 1991-02-10 13:15 | 6.0 mw | 54 km NNW of Yigo Village, Guam | 156 km | 14.00, 144.74 |
| 1991-02-10 11:42 | 6.2 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 8.74, -39.85 |
| 1991-02-09 15:30 | 6.4 ms | 62 km WSW of Malango, Solomon Islands | 10 km | -9.86, 159.17 |
| 1991-02-09 15:18 | 6.9 mw | 68 km WSW of Malango, Solomon Islands | 10 km | -9.93, 159.14 |
| 1991-02-09 01:08 | 6.1 mw | 173 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 28 km | -15.35, -176.90 |
| 1991-01-31 22:03 | 6.9 mw | 77 km NW of P?r?n, Afghanistan | 142 km | 35.99, 70.42 |
| 1991-01-25 16:40 | 6.4 mb | 162 km WNW of Abepura, Indonesia | 33 km | -2.28, 139.21 |
| 1991-01-25 16:38 | 6.3 mw | 185 km WNW of Abepura, Indonesia | 22 km | -2.15, 139.02 |
| 1991-01-23 00:12 | 6.4 mw | Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 108 km | 51.96, 178.84 |
| 1991-01-20 10:32 | 6.0 mw | 203 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu | 78 km | -21.24, 170.03 |
| 1991-01-18 09:45 | 6.3 mw | western Indian-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -51.14, 139.42 |
| 1991-01-15 12:43 | 6.0 mw | 119 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 58 km | -5.99, 154.46 |
| 1991-01-09 14:08 | 6.2 mw | 125 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 28 km | -5.40, 151.84 |
| 1991-01-08 21:04 | 6.2 mw | 81 km NE of Neiafu, Tonga | 33 km | -18.06, -173.53 |
| 1991-01-05 13:57 | 7.0 mw | 99 km NW of Mogok, Myanmar | 20 km | 23.61, 95.90 |
| 1991-01-03 12:18 | 6.2 mw | 102 km SE of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea | 14 km | -7.18, 148.54 |
| 1991-01-01 16:28 | 6.0 mw | 84 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga | 29 km | -21.21, -174.15 |
| 1990-12-31 23:06 | 6.3 mw | 172 km SSW of Emiliano Zapata, Mexico | 35 km | 18.07, -105.85 |
| 1990-12-30 18:14 | 7.5 mw | 104 km ENE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 179 km | -5.10, 150.97 |
| 1990-12-29 12:23 | 6.1 mw | 296 km NNW of Sabang, Indonesia | 18 km | 8.26, 94.06 |
| 1990-12-22 16:27 | 6.0 mw | 2 km NNE of Santiago, Costa Rica | 17 km | 9.87, -84.30 |
| 1990-12-21 05:57 | 6.1 mw | 14 km WNW of Gouménissa, Greece | 13 km | 41.00, 22.30 |
| 1990-12-21 04:29 | 6.8 mw | 74 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga | 13 km | -20.47, -174.16 |
| 1990-12-19 12:48 | 6.0 mw | 147 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 22 km | 52.62, 160.72 |
| 1990-12-17 10:00 | 6.3 mw | 136 km SSW of Río Grande, Panama | 19 km | 6.64, -81.93 |
| 1990-12-13 18:50 | 6.7 mw | 28 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan | 10 km | 23.72, 121.63 |
| 1990-12-13 11:26 | 6.2 mw | 88 km WSW of Tomohon, Indonesia | 33 km | 1.12, 124.03 |
| 1990-12-13 02:01 | 6.3 mw | 7 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan | 12 km | 23.92, 121.64 |
| 1990-12-11 13:41 | 6.4 mw | 90 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga | 13 km | -15.46, -173.12 |
| 1990-12-10 08:34 | 6.0 mw | 74 km W of Tari, Papua New Guinea | 32 km | -5.94, 142.28 |
| 1990-12-05 15:08 | 6.1 mw | 158 km WNW of Tual, Indonesia | 75 km | -5.26, 131.37 |
| 1990-11-29 19:58 | 6.1 mw | Kermadec Islands region | 415 km | -28.04, -179.71 |
| 1990-11-23 21:35 | 6.1 mw | 7 km N of Salento, Colombia | 145 km | 4.71, -75.57 |
| 1990-11-22 19:49 | 6.3 mw | 94 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 29 km | -5.58, 150.99 |
| 1990-11-21 00:48 | 6.0 mw | 206 km ESE of Atka, Alaska | 33 km | 51.65, -171.33 |
| 1990-11-15 01:34 | 6.7 mw | 84 km SW of Langsa, Indonesia | 48 km | 3.91, 97.46 |
| 1990-11-12 11:28 | 6.4 mw | 35 km NW of Tyup, Kyrgyzstan | 19 km | 42.96, 78.07 |
| 1990-11-06 19:14 | 7.1 mw | 231 km WNW of Attu Station, Alaska | 25 km | 53.45, 169.87 |
| 1990-11-06 17:45 | 6.6 mw | 105 km ESE of D?r?b, Iran | 11 km | 28.25, 55.46 |
Method and sources
The USGS ComCat (ANSS) catalogue is read through the FDSN web service, one request per calendar year since 1900 for magnitudes ≥ 4.5; the last two years are re-read on each update because solutions are revised. Magnitudes are those published (mb, Ms, Mw, ml…) and are not converted; depth is the hypocentre depth in km.
Yearly counts are computed on the server from imported events of type “earthquake” (explosions and other types are kept but excluded from counts). Historical earthquakes and their tolls come from the NCEI/WDS significant earthquake database, dated to the year when the day is unknown.
Reading these data
The global catalogue is homogeneous neither in time nor in magnitude: completeness at M 4.5 is only reached after 1973 and still improves afterwards. Magnitudes of different types are not comparable; the great historical earthquakes (e.g. Valdivia 1960, M 9.5) are re-evaluations. No link with solar activity or tides is established; see the Correspondences pages.
SOURCES OF THIS PAGE
- USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service)
-
U.S. Geological Survey, Earthquake Hazards Program (2017). Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) Comprehensive Catalog of Earthquake Events and Products. Accessed through the FDSN event web service.
· doi:10.5066/F7MS3QZH · source page ↗
Licence : U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · retrieved on Oct 29, 2026 · SHA-256 8dc4ba251068… - NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database
-
National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.
· doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K · source page ↗
Licence : U.S. Government work, public domain; cite NCEI/WDS · retrieved on Oct 23, 2026 · SHA-256 f99e14bcd8f1…