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 4.8
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 · 11/1/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,324
1900 → 2026-11-01
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 11/1/26
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 · 11/1/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 4.8
2026-11-01 11:08 UTC · 203 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 · 11/1/26
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 · 11/1/26
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 · 11/1/26
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 · 11/1/26
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 · 11/1/26
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 · 11/1/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958-09-20 16:09 | 6.2 mw | 46 km W of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -6.35, 155.07 |
| 1958-09-14 13:21 | 6.2 mw | 171 km E of Novaya Chara, Russia | 15 km | 56.62, 121.07 |
| 1958-09-11 17:01 | 6.0 mw | 16 km E of Caraga, Philippines | 35 km | 7.33, 126.72 |
| 1958-09-04 20:51 | 6.8 mw | 62 km ESE of Puente Alto, Chile | 15 km | -33.83, -69.96 |
| 1958-09-03 07:10 | 6.1 mw | 139 km E of Hachinohe, Japan | 25 km | 40.64, 143.14 |
| 1958-09-03 02:44 | 6.2 mw | north of Ascension Island | 15 km | -0.07, -17.82 |
| 1958-08-30 17:38 | 6.0 mw | 61 km ENE of Santa Rosalía, Mexico | 15 km | 27.48, -111.67 |
| 1958-08-27 14:16 | 6.3 mw | 29 km SSW of Lithakiá, Greece | 15 km | 37.47, 20.72 |
| 1958-08-20 02:40 | 6.3 mw | 113 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu | 25 km | -14.20, 166.47 |
| 1958-08-17 17:01 | 6.3 mw | 193 km N of Madang, Papua New Guinea | 20 km | -3.49, 146.00 |
| 1958-08-16 18:13 | 6.7 mw | 25 km SSW of Kang?var, Iran | 15 km | 34.29, 47.87 |
| 1958-08-16 12:17 | 6.1 mw | 66 km SE of Adak, Alaska | 25 km | 51.42, -176.01 |
| 1958-08-15 18:55 | 6.8 mw | 101 km ENE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 43 km | 53.54, 159.94 |
| 1958-08-14 13:55 | 6.3 mw | 100 km ESE of Adak, Alaska | 35 km | 51.43, -175.36 |
| 1958-08-12 18:25 | 6.5 mw | 143 km WSW of Ternate, Indonesia | 48 km | 0.42, 126.14 |
| 1958-08-06 20:09 | 6.2 mw | 119 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga | 25 km | -16.65, -172.94 |
| 1958-07-26 16:37 | 7.5 mw | 81 km SSE of Puerto Rosario de Laberinto, Peru | 612 km | -13.43, -69.39 |
| 1958-07-26 05:13 | 6.1 mw | Southwest Indian Ridge | 15 km | -39.50, 45.91 |
| 1958-07-23 09:27 | 6.3 mw | Izu Islands, Japan region | 15 km | 31.44, 142.59 |
| 1958-07-21 13:37 | 6.1 mw | 138 km WSW of Adak, Alaska | 35 km | 51.41, -178.50 |
| 1958-07-21 06:25 | 6.2 mw | 106 km ENE of Shikotan, Russia | 45 km | 44.01, 148.02 |
| 1958-07-19 17:16 | 6.4 mw | 168 km WNW of Sorong, Indonesia | 45 km | -0.56, 129.78 |
| 1958-07-16 11:54 | 6.1 mw | Easter Island region | 15 km | -29.35, -112.64 |
| 1958-07-11 23:48 | 6.3 mw | central East Pacific Rise | 15 km | -4.74, -106.11 |
| 1958-07-11 18:10 | 6.0 mw | 116 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile | 55 km | -21.21, -69.57 |
| 1958-07-10 05:15 | 7.8 mw | The 1958 Lituya Bay, Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami | 10 km | 58.23, -136.71 |
| 1958-07-03 04:45 | 6.2 mw | 277 km NE of Port Mathurin, Mauritius | 15 km | -17.88, 65.24 |
| 1958-06-30 17:26 | 6.2 mw | Izu Islands, Japan region | 25 km | 31.07, 141.73 |
| 1958-06-25 08:36 | 6.8 mw | near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea | 30 km | -3.32, 144.83 |
| 1958-06-23 04:10 | 6.1 mw | 45 km W of Bulgan, Mongolia | 15 km | 48.74, 102.93 |
| 1958-06-19 04:18 | 6.2 mw | 97 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 50 km | 49.82, 155.88 |
| 1958-06-17 18:06 | 6.0 mw | Volcano Islands, Japan region | 35 km | 24.63, 142.46 |
| 1958-06-12 19:53 | 6.3 mw | 130 km ESE of Nikolski, Alaska | 35 km | 52.66, -166.98 |
| 1958-06-06 18:15 | 6.1 mw | 284 km SW of Arenas, Panama | 15 km | 5.32, -82.41 |
| 1958-06-06 08:11 | 6.4 mw | 188 km SW of Ciudad Cortés, Costa Rica | 35 km | 7.67, -84.64 |
| 1958-06-04 13:29 | 6.3 mw | Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 25 km | 52.63, -167.24 |
| 1958-06-03 18:31 | 6.2 mw | Vanuatu | 20 km | -15.55, 168.38 |
| 1958-05-31 18:32 | 6.9 mw | 146 km ENE of Norsup, Vanuatu | 35 km | -15.34, 168.55 |
| 1958-05-30 17:04 | 6.1 mw | 63 km S of Nikolski, Alaska | 35 km | 52.37, -168.72 |
| 1958-05-25 20:11 | 6.2 mw | 80 km ENE of Gualaquiza, Ecuador | 46 km | -3.24, -77.88 |
| 1958-05-22 14:08 | 6.2 mw | 170 km SSW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea | 25 km | -3.36, 146.48 |
| 1958-05-18 11:21 | 6.2 mw | 105 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu | 45 km | -13.26, 166.81 |
| 1958-05-18 01:33 | 6.3 mw | 115 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu | 45 km | -13.15, 166.78 |
| 1958-05-17 06:02 | 6.1 mw | 140 km S of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea | 25 km | -3.30, 147.26 |
| 1958-04-28 10:47 | 6.3 mw | 3 km SE of Mariposa, Peru | 35 km | -11.43, -74.73 |
| 1958-04-23 01:57 | 6.0 mw | Kuril Islands | 25 km | 45.31, 151.75 |
| 1958-04-21 19:14 | 6.2 mw | 168 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga | 15 km | -15.16, -175.13 |
| 1958-04-17 09:04 | 6.1 mw | 135 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -5.52, 151.90 |
| 1958-04-15 02:52 | 6.3 mw | 138 km SW of Ciudad Cortés, Costa Rica | 25 km | 7.99, -84.33 |
| 1958-04-15 00:30 | 6.1 mw | 9 km SE of Esmeraldas, Ecuador | 25 km | 0.91, -79.58 |
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 Nov 1, 2026 · SHA-256 f37622130d7b… - 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…