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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-07-31 22:18 | 6.3 mw | 277 km SW of Abepura, Indonesia | 14 km | -4.51, 139.02 |
| 1989-07-31 15:07 | 6.8 mw | 93 km NNW of Ende, Indonesia | 14 km | -8.05, 121.38 |
| 1989-07-24 08:03 | 6.0 mw | 135 km SSW of Nadi, Fiji | 31 km | -18.87, 176.79 |
| 1989-07-24 01:27 | 6.0 mw | 74 km N of P?r?n, Afghanistan | 95 km | 36.08, 71.07 |
| 1989-07-22 03:02 | 6.5 mw | 64 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia | 142 km | 2.30, 128.14 |
| 1989-07-14 18:42 | 6.7 mw | 59 km N of Maubara, Timor Leste | 10 km | -8.08, 125.13 |
| 1989-07-03 15:09 | 6.1 mw | 94 km SW of Atka, Alaska | 33 km | 51.62, -175.21 |
| 1989-07-03 15:02 | 6.4 ms | Macquarie Island region | 33 km | -53.19, 160.17 |
| 1989-06-26 01:27 | 6.2 ml | 13 km SSE of Fern Forest, Hawaii | 9 km | 19.36, -155.08 |
| 1989-06-25 18:37 | 6.3 mw | 19 km NNE of Esmeraldas, Ecuador | 15 km | 1.13, -79.62 |
| 1989-06-16 21:42 | 6.4 mw | 284 km SE of Shing?, Japan | 360 km | 31.81, 137.98 |
| 1989-06-11 11:24 | 6.2 mw | northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 35.11, -35.01 |
| 1989-05-31 03:54 | 6.4 mw | 49 km W of Te Anau, New Zealand | 23 km | -45.38, 167.09 |
| 1989-05-27 18:08 | 6.0 mw | 24 km SSE of Dogonbadan, Iran | 31 km | 30.17, 50.92 |
| 1989-05-27 01:01 | 6.1 mw | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -55.28, -133.19 |
| 1989-05-24 22:54 | 6.0 mw | Macquarie Island region | 10 km | -52.27, 159.83 |
| 1989-05-24 11:31 | 6.3 mw | 111 km E of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 19 km | 56.18, 164.26 |
| 1989-05-23 15:11 | 6.0 ms | north of Macquarie Island | 10 km | -51.89, 160.56 |
| 1989-05-23 08:54 | 8.0 mwc | 1989 Macquarie Ridge Earthquake | 10 km | -52.34, 160.57 |
| 1989-05-20 14:01 | 6.3 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 29 km | -30.51, -178.27 |
| 1989-05-19 00:21 | 6.3 mw | 23 km NE of Akutan, Alaska | 104 km | 54.30, -165.57 |
| 1989-05-17 03:04 | 6.0 mw | 166 km WNW of Neryungri, Russia | 31 km | 57.09, 122.02 |
| 1989-05-15 21:34 | 6.1 mw | 23 km WSW of Malango, Solomon Islands | 24 km | -9.80, 159.53 |
| 1989-05-14 07:40 | 6.0 mw | Mid-Indian Ridge | 10 km | -13.73, 66.25 |
| 1989-05-13 22:59 | 7.0 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 44 km | -30.52, -178.41 |
| 1989-05-08 12:28 | 6.3 mw | south of the Fiji Islands | 548 km | -23.43, -179.95 |
| 1989-05-05 16:28 | 7.1 mw | 69 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil | 593 km | -8.28, -71.38 |
| 1989-05-03 03:53 | 6.2 mw | 239 km W of Kangding, China | 14 km | 30.09, 99.48 |
| 1989-04-30 13:33 | 6.0 mw | 214 km E of Levuka, Fiji | 570 km | -17.91, -178.66 |
| 1989-04-30 06:22 | 6.0 ms | 6 km WNW of Chichiriviche, Venezuela | 20 km | 10.96, -68.32 |
| 1989-04-28 19:09 | 6.1 mw | 109 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 32 km | -4.21, 101.37 |
| 1989-04-28 18:26 | 6.0 mw | South Sandwich Islands region | 22 km | -59.52, -29.40 |
| 1989-04-28 15:38 | 6.0 mw | 112 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 27 km | -4.35, 101.41 |
| 1989-04-27 00:20 | 6.3 mw | Izu Islands, Japan region | 85 km | 30.60, 140.59 |
| 1989-04-25 12:29 | 6.9 mw | 7 km ESE of San Marcos, Mexico | 19 km | 16.77, -99.33 |
| 1989-04-25 00:13 | 6.1 mw | 244 km W of Kangding, China | 8 km | 30.05, 99.42 |
| 1989-04-20 20:59 | 6.4 mw | 171 km WNW of Neryungri, Russia | 26 km | 57.17, 121.98 |
| 1989-04-18 10:33 | 6.1 mw | south of the Fiji Islands | 524 km | -23.83, 179.94 |
| 1989-04-16 17:48 | 6.3 mw | Fiji region | 610 km | -21.04, -178.94 |
| 1989-04-15 18:34 | 6.4 mw | 231 km SE of Qamdo, China | 13 km | 29.99, 99.20 |
| 1989-04-11 01:56 | 6.8 mw | 255 km ESE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 16 km | 49.49, 159.18 |
| 1989-04-08 01:06 | 6.0 mw | 88 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga | 33 km | -15.74, -173.00 |
| 1989-04-06 06:05 | 6.9 mw | 39 km NW of Isangel, Vanuatu | 166 km | -19.31, 169.00 |
| 1989-04-05 21:47 | 6.2 mw | 137 km ESE of Iquique, Chile | 112 km | -20.86, -69.03 |
| 1989-03-30 18:39 | 6.0 mw | 158 km W of Pangai, Tonga | 230 km | -19.59, -175.85 |
| 1989-03-17 18:33 | 6.2 mw | south of the Kermadec Islands | 59 km | -34.48, -178.39 |
| 1989-03-16 08:33 | 6.0 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 37 km | -30.27, -177.99 |
| 1989-03-11 04:05 | 6.9 mw | 127 km NW of Neiafu, Tonga | 230 km | -17.77, -174.76 |
| 1989-03-10 20:49 | 6.2 mb | 9 km NNW of Salima, Malawi | 30 km | -13.70, 34.42 |
| 1989-03-08 10:44 | 6.1 mw | 135 km WNW of Ternate, Indonesia | 32 km | 1.03, 126.19 |
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…