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 5.7
Strongest in the catalogue
M 9.5
Earthquakes M ≥ 7
1,620
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/23/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,027
1900 → 2026-10-23
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/23/26
Earthquakes M ≥ 7
1,620
including 100 M ≥ 8
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/23/26
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 5.7
2026-10-23 08:19 UTC · 61 km WNW of Leni, Italy
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/23/26
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 · 10/23/26
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 · 10/23/26
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 · 10/23/26
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/23/26
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 · 10/23/26
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 · 10/23/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-12-01 15:22 | 6.4 mww | 46 km ESE of Nikolski, Alaska | 23 km | 52.76, -168.24 |
| 2020-11-30 21:55 | 6.3 mww | 70 km W of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina | 189 km | -24.32, -67.00 |
| 2020-11-30 21:54 | 6.4 mww | 88 km SSE of Sovetskaya Gavan’, Russia | 589 km | 48.25, 140.80 |
| 2020-11-21 23:54 | 6.1 mww | 100 km NW of Constitución, Chile | 22 km | -34.60, -73.06 |
| 2020-11-17 00:44 | 6.0 mww | 222 km SSW of Padang, Indonesia | 19 km | -2.67, 99.32 |
| 2020-11-15 21:37 | 6.0 mww | 5 km S of Marihatag, Philippines | 43 km | 8.76, 126.29 |
| 2020-11-10 23:48 | 6.0 mww | 291 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga | 417 km | -19.72, -177.56 |
| 2020-11-07 08:27 | 6.2 mww | 83 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga | 34 km | -15.25, -173.53 |
| 2020-11-03 01:40 | 6.0 mww | Off the coast of Aisen, Chile | 10 km | -44.41, -79.38 |
| 2020-10-30 10:51 | 7.0 mww | 13 km NNE of Néon Karlovásion, Greece | 21 km | 37.90, 26.78 |
| 2020-10-23 05:04 | 6.1 mww | south of the Fiji Islands | 454 km | -25.63, -179.96 |
| 2020-10-19 18:54 | 7.6 mww | 2020 Sand Point, Alaska Earthquake | 28 km | 54.60, -159.63 |
| 2020-10-08 05:35 | 6.3 mww | 40 km ENE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea | 106 km | -6.09, 146.17 |
| 2020-10-01 08:34 | 6.1 mww | 100 km WNW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea | 74 km | -6.00, 148.67 |
| 2020-09-30 23:13 | 6.4 mww | 39 km NE of Pangai, Tonga | 28 km | -19.54, -174.12 |
| 2020-09-26 15:10 | 6.1 mww | south of Africa | 10 km | -48.02, 31.74 |
| 2020-09-18 19:43 | 6.9 mww | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 0.93, -26.85 |
| 2020-09-15 01:41 | 6.4 mww | 21 km WNW of Esso, Russia | 344 km | 55.97, 158.38 |
| 2020-09-12 00:44 | 6.1 mww | 58 km SE of ?funato, Japan | 34 km | 38.75, 142.24 |
| 2020-09-11 05:35 | 6.2 mww | 82 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile | 51 km | -21.40, -69.91 |
| 2020-09-07 04:12 | 6.2 mww | 72 km NNE of Port-Vila, Vanuatu | 10 km | -17.11, 168.50 |
| 2020-09-06 13:23 | 6.3 mww | 17 km E of Talagutong, Philippines | 120 km | 6.27, 125.83 |
| 2020-09-06 04:51 | 6.7 mww | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 7.68, -37.15 |
| 2020-09-06 00:59 | 6.2 mww | 104 km NW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu | 10 km | -17.16, 167.53 |
| 2020-09-05 23:16 | 6.3 mww | 40 km NW of Ovalle, Chile | 30 km | -30.34, -71.49 |
| 2020-09-01 19:09 | 6.5 mww | 94 km NW of Vallenar, Chile | 16 km | -27.92, -71.37 |
| 2020-09-01 02:30 | 6.3 mww | 78 km NW of Vallenar, Chile | 16 km | -28.03, -71.27 |
| 2020-09-01 02:09 | 6.8 mww | 86 km NW of Vallenar, Chile | 21 km | -27.97, -71.31 |
| 2020-08-31 15:24 | 6.1 mww | Chagos Archipelago region | 10 km | -4.02, 70.20 |
| 2020-08-30 19:20 | 6.5 mww | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 0.78, -29.87 |
| 2020-08-25 17:08 | 6.2 mww | 141 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 22 km | -5.55, 151.84 |
| 2020-08-25 17:02 | 6.0 mww | 141 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 23 km | -5.56, 151.86 |
| 2020-08-24 19:51 | 6.0 mww | 4 km SSW of Jacó, Costa Rica | 20 km | 9.58, -84.64 |
| 2020-08-21 02:09 | 6.9 mww | 222 km SSE of Katabu, Indonesia | 624 km | -6.71, 123.46 |
| 2020-08-18 20:29 | 6.9 mww | 122 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 26 km | -4.21, 101.24 |
| 2020-08-18 20:23 | 6.8 mww | 138 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 22 km | -4.32, 101.13 |
| 2020-08-17 22:03 | 6.6 mww | 13 km E of San Pedro, Philippines | 10 km | 12.03, 124.13 |
| 2020-08-12 15:13 | 6.0 mww | 66 km NNE of Kilindoni, Tanzania | 18 km | -7.33, 39.81 |
| 2020-08-06 21:36 | 6.3 mww | Prince Edward Islands region | 10 km | -41.68, 42.45 |
| 2020-08-05 10:05 | 6.4 mww | 69 km E of Lakatoro, Vanuatu | 182 km | -16.09, 168.06 |
| 2020-08-01 17:22 | 6.1 mww | 199 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -3.20, 148.65 |
| 2020-08-01 15:09 | 6.4 mww | 11 km SW of Polloc, Philippines | 483 km | 7.29, 124.13 |
| 2020-07-28 06:03 | 6.1 mww | 75 km SW of Sand Point, Alaska | 35 km | 54.79, -161.20 |
| 2020-07-25 22:53 | 6.4 mww | South Sandwich Islands region | 10 km | -60.78, -25.41 |
| 2020-07-22 18:07 | 6.3 mww | western Xizang | 10 km | 33.14, 86.86 |
| 2020-07-22 04:16 | 6.1 mb | 101 km ESE of Sand Point, Alaska | 17 km | 54.97, -159.04 |
| 2020-07-22 04:12 | 7.8 mww | 2020 Perryville, Alaska Earthquake | 28 km | 55.07, -158.60 |
| 2020-07-21 18:56 | 6.0 mww | Fiji region | 605 km | -20.80, -178.63 |
| 2020-07-18 13:32 | 6.1 mww | 141 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga | 12 km | -15.26, -172.69 |
| 2020-07-17 12:03 | 6.1 mww | 239 km E of Port Blair, India | 10 km | 11.85, 94.94 |
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 23, 2026 · SHA-256 c1e3c08c2c8f… - 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…