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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948-12-23 07:41 | 6.5 mw | 250 km ESE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 20 km | 55.48, 166.25 |
| 1948-12-20 22:07 | 6.4 mw | 63 km SW of Yonakuni, Japan | 35 km | 24.13, 122.49 |
| 1948-12-16 06:18 | 6.3 mw | 182 km W of Pangai, Tonga | 15 km | -19.68, -176.09 |
| 1948-12-12 12:17 | 6.1 mw | Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 20 km | 51.34, 176.95 |
| 1948-12-10 08:42 | 6.1 mw | 146 km ESE of Mil’kovo, Russia | 35 km | 54.01, 160.54 |
| 1948-12-06 11:10 | 6.1 mw | 42 km NNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu | 35 km | -17.41, 168.10 |
| 1948-12-05 05:26 | 6.9 mw | Macquarie Island region | 15 km | -55.27, 158.34 |
| 1948-12-04 22:43 | 6.0 mw | The 1948 Desert Hot Springs, California Earthquake | 6 km | 33.98, -116.33 |
| 1948-12-03 23:22 | 6.6 mw | 142 km WNW of Corral del Risco (Punta de Mita), Mexico | 15 km | 21.18, -106.82 |
| 1948-11-26 04:36 | 6.6 mw | 97 km NNW of Kundiawa, Papua New Guinea | 55 km | -5.16, 144.77 |
| 1948-11-22 08:06 | 6.1 mw | 246 km WSW of Adak, Alaska | 25 km | 50.94, -179.85 |
| 1948-11-19 00:04 | 6.3 mw | 9 km NW of San Isidro, Costa Rica | 25 km | 9.43, -83.75 |
| 1948-11-13 21:48 | 6.1 mw | 82 km ESE of Pangai, Tonga | 15 km | -20.13, -173.64 |
| 1948-11-03 04:18 | 6.6 mw | 187 km SE of Isangel, Vanuatu | 15 km | -20.95, 170.29 |
| 1948-11-01 11:05 | 6.2 mw | 68 km SE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 28 km | 55.84, 163.33 |
| 1948-10-28 19:45 | 6.3 mw | 46 km E of ?arai, Japan | 35 km | 36.37, 141.10 |
| 1948-10-26 18:52 | 6.0 mw | 46 km ESE of Nishinoomote, Japan | 20 km | 30.56, 131.44 |
| 1948-10-23 14:45 | 6.2 mw | 12 km NNW of Klyuchi, Russia | 15 km | 56.43, 160.80 |
| 1948-10-23 03:47 | 6.0 mw | 63 km WSW of Yonakuni, Japan | 35 km | 24.34, 122.39 |
| 1948-10-21 04:01 | 6.5 mw | 97 km SE of Kieta, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -6.91, 156.17 |
| 1948-10-15 21:43 | 6.4 mw | east of the South Sandwich Islands | 15 km | -60.94, -21.35 |
| 1948-10-08 18:02 | 6.1 mw | 35 km SSE of Zhaotong, China | 35 km | 27.05, 103.91 |
| 1948-10-05 19:12 | 7.2 mw | 14 km N of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | 15 km | 38.08, 58.36 |
| 1948-10-04 04:56 | 6.4 mw | 75 km ENE of Hualien City, Taiwan | 15 km | 24.23, 122.29 |
| 1948-10-01 02:10 | 6.0 mw | 71 km ESE of Hengchun, Taiwan | 25 km | 21.87, 121.42 |
| 1948-09-28 20:36 | 6.5 mw | 55 km E of Hakha, Myanmar | 65 km | 22.66, 94.15 |
| 1948-09-24 22:28 | 6.2 mw | 124 km N of Basco, Philippines | 25 km | 21.58, 121.91 |
| 1948-09-24 19:41 | 6.4 mw | 47 km E of Wewak, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -3.47, 144.05 |
| 1948-09-23 14:11 | 6.1 mw | 119 km SE of Shikotan, Russia | 15 km | 43.10, 147.85 |
| 1948-09-22 23:52 | 6.2 mw | 160 km ENE of Hachinohe, Japan | 25 km | 40.96, 143.30 |
| 1948-09-19 05:14 | 6.2 mw | Andreanof Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 35 km | 51.65, -178.16 |
| 1948-09-10 12:48 | 7.0 mw | 52 km ESE of Shikotan, Russia | 25 km | 43.70, 147.35 |
| 1948-09-08 14:09 | 7.5 mw | 110 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga | 15 km | -21.22, -173.89 |
| 1948-09-06 07:10 | 6.0 mw | 73 km SW of Tocopilla, Chile | 35 km | -22.58, -70.68 |
| 1948-09-04 14:08 | 6.3 mw | Southwest Indian Ridge | 15 km | -36.86, 52.13 |
| 1948-08-29 22:29 | 6.2 mw | 119 km SE of Koshima, Japan | 15 km | 29.55, 131.49 |
| 1948-08-29 16:37 | 6.2 mw | 164 km SSW of Matavai, Samoa | 15 km | -15.45, -172.10 |
| 1948-08-28 01:28 | 6.1 mw | 111 km E of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 15 km | 56.23, 164.27 |
| 1948-08-25 05:09 | 6.9 mw | 30 km SSE of Santa Clara, Argentina | 30 km | -24.56, -64.52 |
| 1948-08-19 18:59 | 6.0 mw | south of Panama | 15 km | 5.27, -82.65 |
| 1948-08-17 16:08 | 6.2 mw | near the east coast of Honshu, Japan | 25 km | 35.02, 141.86 |
| 1948-08-14 15:55 | 6.1 mw | 50 km E of ?arai, Japan | 40 km | 36.32, 141.15 |
| 1948-08-07 13:40 | 6.5 mw | 138 km SE of Hasaki, Japan | 15 km | 34.92, 142.00 |
| 1948-07-24 05:03 | 6.4 mw | 39 km SSW of Tympáki, Greece | 15 km | 34.76, 24.58 |
| 1948-07-23 11:21 | 6.5 mw | 131 km NNE of Madang, Papua New Guinea | 25 km | -4.12, 146.26 |
| 1948-07-20 10:02 | 6.4 mw | 27 km SSE of Atico, Peru | 30 km | -16.45, -73.55 |
| 1948-07-18 05:43 | 6.2 mw | 138 km W of Gorontalo, Indonesia | 35 km | 0.62, 121.82 |
| 1948-07-16 06:19 | 6.1 mw | 7 km S of Santa Bárbara, Guatemala | 44 km | 14.36, -91.23 |
| 1948-07-16 06:12 | 6.2 mw | 13 km SE of Río Bravo, Guatemala | 41 km | 14.31, -91.24 |
| 1948-07-15 10:02 | 6.0 mw | northern East Pacific Rise | 15 km | 9.90, -104.05 |
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…