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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-08-23 20:55 | 6.1 mw | 236 km E of Kuril’sk, Russia | 39 km | 45.66, 150.83 |
| 1971-08-23 03:08 | 6.5 mw | 134 km N of Madang, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -4.01, 145.84 |
| 1971-08-20 20:36 | 6.0 mw | 119 km SSW of Champerico, Guatemala | 25 km | 13.32, -92.39 |
| 1971-08-19 21:15 | 6.4 mw | 162 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 39 km | 49.28, 155.43 |
| 1971-08-19 07:28 | 6.0 mw | 31 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan | 31 km | 24.01, 121.91 |
| 1971-08-14 08:02 | 6.6 mw | 142 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 14 km | -15.58, -178.30 |
| 1971-08-14 08:01 | 6.5 mw | 162 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 25 km | -15.77, -178.29 |
| 1971-08-13 15:48 | 6.0 mw | 150 km W of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -6.05, 154.15 |
| 1971-08-11 13:23 | 6.2 mw | Balleny Islands region | 10 km | -62.81, 155.52 |
| 1971-08-10 13:37 | 6.0 mw | 181 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 39 km | -5.41, 153.52 |
| 1971-08-09 19:01 | 6.3 mw | 141 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 30 km | -5.62, 152.17 |
| 1971-08-09 11:12 | 6.4 mw | 139 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 50 km | -5.92, 154.29 |
| 1971-08-05 00:58 | 7.1 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | -0.79, -22.07 |
| 1971-08-02 06:24 | 7.0 mw | 90 km SSE of Honchō, Japan | 50 km | 41.41, 143.43 |
| 1971-07-28 00:10 | 6.4 mw | 106 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 20 km | -5.11, 152.84 |
| 1971-07-27 19:47 | 6.4 mw | 118 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 32 km | -5.24, 152.87 |
| 1971-07-27 01:02 | 7.4 mw | 98 km ESE of Sucúa, Ecuador | 113 km | -2.85, -77.38 |
| 1971-07-26 18:15 | 6.0 mw | 135 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 50 km | -5.86, 151.32 |
| 1971-07-26 14:35 | 6.3 mw | 151 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 49 km | -5.67, 151.50 |
| 1971-07-26 05:59 | 6.0 mw | 136 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 40 km | -5.58, 152.18 |
| 1971-07-26 03:19 | 6.0 mw | 136 km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 40 km | -5.46, 152.80 |
| 1971-07-26 01:25 | 7.0 mw | 85 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 40 km | -5.12, 152.28 |
| 1971-07-26 01:02 | 6.6 mw | 103 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 40 km | -5.28, 152.24 |
| 1971-07-26 00:23 | 8.1 mw | 1971 Bougainville Earthquake | 52 km | -4.87, 153.18 |
| 1971-07-25 14:41 | 6.4 mw | 81 km S of Attu Station, Alaska | 28 km | 52.13, 172.98 |
| 1971-07-25 11:51 | 6.5 mw | 6 km W of San Fernando, Philippines | 20 km | 12.48, 123.70 |
| 1971-07-19 14:37 | 6.4 mw | 53 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -5.57, 150.62 |
| 1971-07-18 23:14 | 6.9 mw | 190 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 30 km | -5.74, 153.86 |
| 1971-07-18 13:31 | 6.5 mw | 129 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 43 km | -4.86, 153.31 |
| 1971-07-17 04:32 | 6.2 mw | 150 km NNW of Sabang, Indonesia | 140 km | 7.06, 94.62 |
| 1971-07-14 17:27 | 6.5 mw | 143 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 25 km | -5.22, 153.22 |
| 1971-07-14 16:38 | 6.1 mw | 137 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 18 km | -5.20, 153.17 |
| 1971-07-14 06:41 | 6.0 mw | 190 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 40 km | -5.68, 153.88 |
| 1971-07-14 05:11 | 8.0 mw | 1971 New Britain Earthquake | 15 km | -5.47, 153.86 |
| 1971-07-11 08:51 | 6.4 mw | 49 km WNW of La Ligua, Chile | 40 km | -32.30, -71.73 |
| 1971-07-09 02:03 | 7.8 mw | 19 km NNE of Hacienda La Calera, Chile | 61 km | -32.62, -71.17 |
| 1971-07-08 18:07 | 6.2 mw | Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia | 107 km | -7.05, 129.66 |
| 1971-07-02 04:34 | 6.1 mw | 13 km NNE of Miaga, Philippines | 12 km | 12.34, 123.87 |
| 1971-06-26 18:27 | 6.4 mw | southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia | 21 km | -5.18, 96.84 |
| 1971-06-17 20:00 | 6.3 mw | 152 km E of Taltal, Chile | 90 km | -25.35, -68.97 |
| 1971-06-14 12:48 | 6.0 mw | 81 km WSW of Berkakit, Russia | 10 km | 56.19, 123.65 |
| 1971-06-11 12:58 | 6.7 mw | 242 km SE of Attu Station, Alaska | 27 km | 51.58, 176.06 |
| 1971-06-11 11:56 | 6.5 mw | 47 km SE of Sabana Grande de Palenque, Dominican Republic | 17 km | 17.99, -69.81 |
| 1971-06-10 18:59 | 6.0 mw | 129 km WNW of Fukaura, Japan | 231 km | 41.08, 138.51 |
| 1971-05-30 14:44 | 6.2 mw | 101 km W of Myitkyina, Burma (Myanmar) | 10 km | 25.27, 96.39 |
| 1971-05-29 07:52 | 6.0 mw | 20 km SE of Kushima, Japan | 49 km | 31.35, 131.39 |
| 1971-05-26 05:13 | 6.2 mw | 24 km SE of Kushima, Japan | 51 km | 31.34, 131.44 |
| 1971-05-25 12:00 | 6.1 mw | 24 km SSE of Kushima, Japan | 27 km | 31.30, 131.37 |
| 1971-05-22 15:44 | 6.6 mw | 14 km ENE of Bing?l, Turkey | 10 km | 38.90, 40.64 |
| 1971-05-18 21:44 | 6.9 mw | 113 km NNW of Myaundzha, Russia | 10 km | 63.92, 146.00 |
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…