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 5.0
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 · 10/31/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,305
1900 → 2026-10-31
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/31/26
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 · 10/31/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 5.0
2026-10-31 10:31 UTC · 196 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/31/26
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 · 10/31/26
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 · 10/31/26
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 · 10/31/26
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 · 10/31/26
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 · 10/31/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963-08-15 05:11 | 6.5 mw | 82 km ENE of Namie, Japan | 35 km | 37.72, 141.88 |
| 1963-08-09 13:36 | 6.0 mw | 220 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga | 25 km | -15.30, -175.74 |
| 1963-08-03 09:21 | 6.9 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 15 km | 7.37, -35.88 |
| 1963-07-30 04:45 | 6.5 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 25 km | -29.82, -177.08 |
| 1963-07-29 19:16 | 6.6 mw | Kermadec Islands region | 25 km | -30.08, -176.93 |
| 1963-07-29 19:14 | 6.4 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 35 km | -30.11, -177.26 |
| 1963-07-26 03:17 | 6.0 mw | 0 km NE of Krušopek, North Macedonia | 15 km | 42.00, 21.34 |
| 1963-07-20 05:36 | 6.4 mw | west of Macquarie Island | 15 km | -57.66, 148.55 |
| 1963-07-19 04:46 | 6.1 mw | 62 km SSE of San Lorenzo al Mare, Italy | 15 km | 43.34, 8.28 |
| 1963-07-19 04:45 | 6.3 mw | 58 km SSE of San Lorenzo al Mare, Italy | 15 km | 43.34, 8.15 |
| 1963-07-16 17:27 | 6.4 mw | 40 km NNW of Tqvarch'eli, Georgia | 30 km | 43.20, 41.56 |
| 1963-07-10 04:23 | 6.2 mw | Kuril Islands | 30 km | 46.43, 153.47 |
| 1963-07-09 08:24 | 6.0 mw | 20 km SSW of Golfito, Costa Rica | 35 km | 8.43, -83.17 |
| 1963-07-04 09:58 | 6.8 mw | south of the Fiji Islands | 181 km | -26.46, -177.87 |
| 1963-06-28 20:55 | 6.9 mw | Kuril Islands | 25 km | 46.57, 153.54 |
| 1963-06-26 13:09 | 6.0 mw | 135 km NE of Skardu, Pakistan | 95 km | 36.30, 76.49 |
| 1963-06-24 03:26 | 6.4 mw | 25 km NW of Nanwalek, Alaska | 45 km | 59.50, -152.28 |
| 1963-06-19 08:09 | 6.1 mw | 149 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines | 65 km | 4.59, 126.54 |
| 1963-06-17 17:30 | 6.2 mw | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 15 km | -65.64, -178.54 |
| 1963-06-10 05:39 | 6.2 mw | west of Macquarie Island | 15 km | -55.31, 146.42 |
| 1963-06-10 03:16 | 6.1 mw | west of Macquarie Island | 15 km | -55.44, 146.71 |
| 1963-06-07 21:37 | 6.0 mw | 125 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga | 20 km | -15.60, -172.68 |
| 1963-06-06 04:18 | 6.0 mw | 149 km N of Pagudpud, Philippines | 25 km | 19.90, 120.57 |
| 1963-06-04 20:04 | 6.1 mw | 210 km S of Sofifi, Indonesia | 30 km | -1.15, 127.35 |
| 1963-06-02 20:04 | 6.2 mw | east of the South Sandwich Islands | 18 km | -58.50, -15.44 |
| 1963-05-30 05:56 | 6.0 mw | west of Macquarie Island | 15 km | -54.28, 143.94 |
| 1963-05-26 22:06 | 6.1 mw | 64 km SSE of Atlasovo, Russia | 30 km | 55.04, 159.87 |
| 1963-05-25 15:08 | 6.2 mw | South Sandwich Islands region | 10 km | -56.80, -25.08 |
| 1963-05-22 12:56 | 6.9 mw | 251 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 30 km | 48.62, 154.66 |
| 1963-05-20 10:38 | 6.8 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 65 km | -30.68, -178.17 |
| 1963-05-19 20:35 | 6.4 mw | northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 23 km | 23.72, -45.82 |
| 1963-05-19 00:03 | 6.4 mw | 219 km WSW of Puerto Chacabuco, Chile | 15 km | -46.48, -75.25 |
| 1963-05-10 21:22 | 6.6 mw | 55 km ENE of Macas, Ecuador | 20 km | -2.19, -77.62 |
| 1963-05-08 09:22 | 6.2 mw | 50 km E of ?arai, Japan | 47 km | 36.30, 141.14 |
| 1963-05-01 09:03 | 6.8 mw | 65 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu | 143 km | -18.98, 169.08 |
| 1963-04-29 23:58 | 6.3 mw | 234 km SSE of Sofifi, Indonesia | 35 km | -1.04, 128.71 |
| 1963-04-29 20:44 | 6.1 mw | Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 42 km | 51.31, 178.72 |
| 1963-04-19 06:35 | 6.7 mw | Southern Qinghai, China | 20 km | 35.61, 96.99 |
| 1963-04-17 01:11 | 6.2 mw | 172 km S of Suva, Fiji | 20 km | -19.70, 178.44 |
| 1963-04-16 00:55 | 7.1 mw | 204 km SSE of Sofifi, Indonesia | 30 km | -1.05, 128.04 |
| 1963-04-16 00:29 | 7.1 mw | 197 km SSE of Sofifi, Indonesia | 30 km | -0.98, 128.07 |
| 1963-04-13 13:31 | 6.1 mw | 14 km SE of Nabire, Indonesia | 47 km | -3.45, 135.59 |
| 1963-04-13 01:20 | 6.5 mw | 17 km NE of Tabaloslos, Peru | 120 km | -6.25, -76.54 |
| 1963-04-10 06:50 | 6.0 mw | 18 km NNW of Suai, Timor Leste | 35 km | -9.17, 125.18 |
| 1963-04-07 21:36 | 6.1 mw | 94 km S of Pagar Alam, Indonesia | 59 km | -4.88, 103.24 |
| 1963-04-03 14:54 | 6.1 mw | 54 km WNW of Tatitlek, Alaska | 50 km | 61.08, -147.58 |
| 1963-04-03 13:47 | 6.0 mw | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 15 km | -55.54, -127.72 |
| 1963-03-31 18:22 | 6.2 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 52 km | -30.16, -177.84 |
| 1963-03-31 06:07 | 6.1 mw | 66 km WNW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -6.01, 148.98 |
| 1963-03-31 04:30 | 6.6 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 35 km | -29.98, -177.62 |
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 31, 2026 · SHA-256 89aecb688176… - 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…