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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952-02-14 02:38 | 7.0 mw | 77 km N of Baukau, Timor Leste | 25 km | -7.78, 126.49 |
| 1952-01-31 19:55 | 6.2 mw | 27 km SE of Makamba, Burundi | 20 km | -4.32, 29.98 |
| 1952-01-21 02:43 | 6.2 mw | 130 km S of Unalaska, Alaska | 27 km | 52.72, -166.85 |
| 1952-01-15 06:00 | 6.3 mw | 10 km NE of El Alto, Peru | 35 km | -4.21, -81.14 |
| 1952-01-13 03:03 | 6.7 mw | 178 km SSE of Ishigaki, Japan | 20 km | 22.85, 124.82 |
| 1952-01-12 19:11 | 6.3 mw | 136 km ESE of Nikolski, Alaska | 25 km | 52.64, -166.91 |
| 1952-01-01 06:04 | 6.1 mw | central East Pacific Rise | 15 km | -4.66, -106.24 |
| 1951-12-30 21:17 | 6.5 mw | Easter Island region | 15 km | -27.40, -113.92 |
| 1951-12-28 08:20 | 6.6 mw | 10 km SSE of Coacoyulichán, Mexico | 31 km | 16.72, -98.88 |
| 1951-12-26 15:30 | 6.2 mw | 193 km WSW of Laojunmiao, China | 15 km | 39.49, 95.53 |
| 1951-12-26 09:07 | 6.3 mw | 123 km WSW of Nagqu, China | 15 km | 31.24, 90.78 |
| 1951-12-23 05:30 | 6.2 mw | west of Macquarie Island | 15 km | -52.19, 139.72 |
| 1951-12-22 23:21 | 6.0 mw | south of the Fiji Islands | 35 km | -25.13, -176.32 |
| 1951-12-21 07:37 | 6.4 mw | 38 km SSW of Lijiang, China | 28 km | 26.58, 100.01 |
| 1951-12-18 13:09 | 6.0 mw | 84 km SW of Neiafu, Tonga | 61 km | -19.10, -174.63 |
| 1951-12-08 03:14 | 7.5 mw | South Indian Ocean | 15 km | -34.23, 57.47 |
| 1951-12-06 13:29 | 6.1 mw | 11 km WSW of Nuquí, Colombia | 15 km | 5.68, -77.37 |
| 1951-12-05 05:58 | 6.1 mw | 77 km ENE of Donggang, Taiwan | 15 km | 22.68, 121.16 |
| 1951-11-26 05:38 | 6.4 mw | 101 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan | 30 km | 22.82, 121.40 |
| 1951-11-24 17:50 | 7.8 mw | Taiwan | 30 km | 23.09, 121.21 |
| 1951-11-24 17:47 | 7.3 mw | 81 km E of Yujing, Taiwan | 25 km | 23.05, 121.25 |
| 1951-11-22 01:04 | 6.2 mw | 56 km SSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 45 km | -4.80, 152.05 |
| 1951-11-19 20:03 | 6.1 mw | 230 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga | 15 km | -17.08, -171.98 |
| 1951-11-18 11:07 | 6.0 mw | 63 km NE of Dêqên, China | 15 km | 30.41, 91.14 |
| 1951-11-18 08:35 | 7.7 mw | 89 km WSW of Nagqu, China | 30 km | 31.06, 91.26 |
| 1951-11-18 03:38 | 6.1 mw | 144 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 33 km | 52.17, 160.17 |
| 1951-11-17 03:46 | 6.1 mw | 82 km SW of Nagqu, China | 15 km | 30.91, 91.50 |
| 1951-11-16 16:33 | 6.0 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 57 km | -29.53, -178.01 |
| 1951-11-16 14:20 | 6.2 mw | 151 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 30 km | 52.04, 160.10 |
| 1951-11-16 14:03 | 6.1 mw | 135 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 30 km | 52.24, 160.10 |
| 1951-11-15 20:59 | 6.1 mw | 147 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 30 km | 52.21, 160.29 |
| 1951-11-15 18:42 | 6.3 mw | 149 km SE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 31 km | 52.27, 160.41 |
| 1951-11-15 09:31 | 6.2 mw | 119 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 36 km | 52.63, 160.26 |
| 1951-11-15 09:02 | 6.1 mw | 132 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 30 km | 52.46, 160.31 |
| 1951-11-15 07:39 | 6.3 mw | 125 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 30 km | 52.49, 160.23 |
| 1951-11-15 07:25 | 6.1 mw | 127 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 30 km | 52.55, 160.32 |
| 1951-11-12 07:09 | 6.5 mw | east of the Kuril Islands | 20 km | 46.70, 154.23 |
| 1951-11-08 12:45 | 6.2 mw | 141 km SSE of King Cove, Alaska | 35 km | 53.99, -161.13 |
| 1951-11-06 17:50 | 6.3 mw | Kuril Islands | 35 km | 47.28, 154.27 |
| 1951-11-06 15:40 | 7.0 mw | Kuril Islands | 35 km | 47.30, 154.05 |
| 1951-11-04 10:09 | 6.3 mw | 19 km E of Sulat, Philippines | 25 km | 11.79, 125.63 |
| 1951-10-31 10:43 | 6.2 mw | east of the South Sandwich Islands | 15 km | -57.99, -9.89 |
| 1951-10-31 05:56 | 6.5 mw | 213 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia | 50 km | -0.36, 98.22 |
| 1951-10-28 05:47 | 6.5 mw | Macquarie Island region | 15 km | -57.89, 157.15 |
| 1951-10-28 00:55 | 6.1 mw | 17 km N of Hualien City, Taiwan | 25 km | 24.14, 121.62 |
| 1951-10-25 11:19 | 6.6 mw | 6 km NW of Hualien City, Taiwan | 25 km | 24.01, 121.56 |
| 1951-10-24 02:39 | 6.3 mw | 3 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan | 35 km | 23.95, 121.62 |
| 1951-10-23 17:18 | 6.1 mw | 48 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan | 25 km | 23.96, 122.08 |
| 1951-10-23 07:55 | 6.3 mw | 11 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan | 25 km | 23.89, 121.55 |
| 1951-10-23 00:19 | 6.6 mw | 22 km WSW of Hualien City, Taiwan | 25 km | 23.87, 121.42 |
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…