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 4.7
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 · 10/30/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,287
1900 → 2026-10-30
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/30/26
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 · 10/30/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 4.7
2026-10-30 09:45 UTC · 42 km SE of Sykiá, Greece
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/30/26
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 · 10/30/26
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 · 10/30/26
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 · 10/30/26
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 · 10/30/26
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 · 10/30/26
| # | 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 · 10/30/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979-02-20 05:32 | 6.4 ms | 164 km ENE of Miyako, Japan | 10 km | 40.23, 143.70 |
| 1979-02-18 04:23 | 6.1 ms | Prince Edward Islands region | 10 km | -43.43, 40.78 |
| 1979-02-16 09:08 | 6.9 ms | 24 km NNE of El Cardo, Peru | 53 km | -16.39, -72.66 |
| 1979-02-15 23:31 | 6.2 mb | 98 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu | 60 km | -13.63, 166.68 |
| 1979-02-13 04:34 | 6.7 ms | 121 km SE of Chignik, Alaska | 33 km | 55.45, -157.16 |
| 1979-02-11 21:22 | 6.1 mb | 26 km E of Mangili, Philippines | 142 km | 5.99, 125.92 |
| 1979-02-07 20:02 | 6.2 mb | 177 km SE of Pondaguitan, Philippines | 129 km | 5.21, 127.30 |
| 1979-01-27 17:57 | 6.0 ms | 75 km ESE of King Cove, Alaska | 17 km | 54.77, -161.25 |
| 1979-01-27 17:15 | 6.3 ms | 90 km S of Port-Vila, Vanuatu | 25 km | -18.54, 168.21 |
| 1979-01-26 09:04 | 6.6 ms | 15 km N of San Luis de La Loma, Mexico | 41 km | 17.41, -100.88 |
| 1979-01-25 03:08 | 6.4 ms | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 14 km | -29.94, -177.46 |
| 1979-01-17 06:59 | 6.0 mb | 60 km WSW of Shalkar, Kazakhstan | 0 km | 47.88, 48.13 |
| 1979-01-16 14:05 | 6.1 ms | southeast Indian Ridge | 10 km | -45.56, 96.18 |
| 1979-01-16 08:50 | 6.7 ms | 32 km NE of Q?’en, Iran | 33 km | 33.90, 59.47 |
| 1979-01-11 05:28 | 6.2 ms | 116 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 32 km | -4.08, 101.25 |
| 1978-12-25 22:57 | 6.5 ms | northern East Pacific Rise | 10 km | 10.37, -103.86 |
| 1978-12-23 10:23 | 7.0 ms | 94 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan | 33 km | 23.25, 122.08 |
| 1978-12-21 13:36 | 6.3 ms | 109 km SE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 30 km | -11.21, 162.58 |
| 1978-12-18 09:15 | 6.5 ms | Bouvet Island region | 10 km | -54.48, 2.07 |
| 1978-12-18 06:59 | 6.0 mb | 59 km WSW of Shalkar, Kazakhstan | 0 km | 47.79, 48.19 |
| 1978-12-14 18:25 | 6.0 mb | 149 km SE of Tondano, Indonesia | 60 km | 0.54, 126.02 |
| 1978-12-14 06:05 | 6.2 ms | 39 km NE of Masjed Soleym?n, Iran | 33 km | 32.14, 49.65 |
| 1978-12-12 10:44 | 6.9 ms | 15 km SSE of Malim, Philippines | 33 km | 7.33, 123.49 |
| 1978-12-06 13:02 | 6.7 mb | 81 km NE of Otrada, Russia | 91 km | 44.59, 146.58 |
| 1978-12-01 14:35 | 6.0 mb | 66 km WNW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 93 km | -10.16, 161.40 |
| 1978-11-29 18:52 | 7.7 ms | 2 km ESE of San Agustín Loxicha, Mexico | 18 km | 16.01, -96.59 |
| 1978-11-29 03:33 | 6.0 mb | 90 km S of Kurchatov, Kazakhstan | 0 km | 49.96, 78.76 |
| 1978-11-07 16:33 | 6.1 ms | 68 km SSE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 33 km | -11.00, 162.22 |
| 1978-11-05 21:02 | 7.1 ms | 78 km SSE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 33 km | -11.13, 162.14 |
| 1978-11-04 21:51 | 6.0 ms | 82 km SSE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 33 km | -11.18, 162.08 |
| 1978-11-04 21:29 | 6.9 ms | 90 km SSE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 33 km | -11.23, 162.18 |
| 1978-11-04 14:22 | 6.1 mb | 13 km S of Hashtpar, Iran | 34 km | 37.67, 48.90 |
| 1978-11-01 18:48 | 6.8 ms | 38 km SE of Kyzyl-Eshme, Kyrgyzstan | 40 km | 39.35, 72.62 |
| 1978-09-23 14:32 | 6.3 mb | 37 km W of Sola, Vanuatu | 201 km | -13.92, 167.21 |
| 1978-09-16 13:35 | 7.4 ms | 52 km ESE of Tabas, Iran | 33 km | 33.39, 57.43 |
| 1978-09-15 09:39 | 6.0 mb | Kuril Islands | 44 km | 48.25, 154.28 |
| 1978-09-15 00:36 | 6.0 mb | 99 km SSE of Kurchatov, Kazakhstan | 0 km | 49.90, 78.92 |
| 1978-09-06 09:07 | 6.0 mb | 76 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu | 198 km | -13.32, 167.14 |
| 1978-09-06 02:01 | 6.0 ms | 89 km SW of Isangel, Vanuatu | 36 km | -20.14, 168.70 |
| 1978-09-01 23:57 | 6.1 mb | 27 km SSE of Jiufen, Taiwan | 109 km | 24.90, 121.98 |
| 1978-09-01 07:56 | 6.2 ms | 76 km NNW of Gizo, Solomon Islands | 33 km | -7.45, 156.60 |
| 1978-08-22 22:38 | 7.0 ms | 19 km N of Nandayure, Costa Rica | 56 km | 10.20, -85.22 |
| 1978-08-21 20:05 | 6.2 ms | Prince Edward Islands region | 10 km | -47.67, 32.54 |
| 1978-08-15 10:37 | 6.4 ms | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 33 km | -30.53, -178.18 |
| 1978-08-10 14:53 | 6.0 ms | southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | -35.86, -17.65 |
| 1978-08-05 02:12 | 6.1 ms | 115 km SSE of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea | 33 km | -3.60, 151.01 |
| 1978-08-03 21:25 | 6.1 ms | 98 km NE of Sorong, Indonesia | 33 km | -0.17, 131.80 |
| 1978-08-03 16:11 | 6.3 mb | 51 km WSW of Diego de Almagro, Chile | 58 km | -26.51, -70.54 |
| 1978-07-24 17:45 | 6.1 ms | Vanuatu region | 37 km | -20.67, 172.50 |
| 1978-07-23 12:42 | 7.4 ms | 85 km ENE of Hengchun, Taiwan | 17 km | 22.28, 121.51 |
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 30, 2026 · SHA-256 cc1f6109be1e… - 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 30, 2026 · SHA-256 d5b49c593d3a…