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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-01-18 12:18 | 6.0 mww | 67 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu | 39 km | -19.20, 168.74 |
| 2019-01-17 14:06 | 6.2 mww | 164 km SW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -3.23, 146.39 |
| 2019-01-15 17:06 | 6.6 mww | 94 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu | 35 km | -13.34, 166.88 |
| 2019-01-08 11:39 | 6.3 mww | 16 km SSE of Nishinoomote, Japan | 35 km | 30.59, 131.04 |
| 2019-01-06 16:27 | 6.6 mww | Molucca Sea | 43 km | 2.26, 126.76 |
| 2019-01-05 18:25 | 6.8 mww | 90 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil | 570 km | -8.14, -71.59 |
| 2018-12-31 01:35 | 6.0 mww | 87 km SE of King Cove, Alaska | 31 km | 54.43, -161.51 |
| 2018-12-29 02:39 | 7.0 mww | 96 km ESE of Pondaguitan, Philippines | 60 km | 5.90, 126.92 |
| 2018-12-24 11:41 | 6.1 mww | 161 km SE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 10 km | 55.34, 164.51 |
| 2018-12-23 22:08 | 6.4 mww | 91 km SW of Pangai, Tonga | 113 km | -20.29, -175.07 |
| 2018-12-22 13:25 | 6.0 mww | 95 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu | 42 km | -13.40, 166.82 |
| 2018-12-20 16:01 | 7.3 mww | 187 km SE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 17 km | 55.10, 164.70 |
| 2018-12-19 00:37 | 6.3 mww | southeast of Easter Island | 10 km | -36.14, -101.07 |
| 2018-12-16 08:42 | 6.1 mww | 153 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia | 62 km | -3.92, 140.23 |
| 2018-12-12 12:13 | 6.3 mww | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -55.67, -128.66 |
| 2018-12-11 01:26 | 7.1 mww | South Sandwich Islands region | 133 km | -58.54, -26.39 |
| 2018-12-05 05:43 | 6.6 mww | 199 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia | 10 km | -22.06, 169.73 |
| 2018-12-05 03:18 | 7.5 mww | 166 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia | 10 km | -21.95, 169.43 |
| 2018-12-05 03:14 | 6.3 mb | 160 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia | 10 km | -22.02, 169.35 |
| 2018-12-01 12:27 | 6.4 mww | 226 km NE of Lospalos, Timor Leste | 136 km | -7.38, 128.71 |
| 2018-11-30 16:29 | 7.1 mw | 1 km SE of Point MacKenzie, Alaska | 47 km | 61.35, -149.96 |
| 2018-11-25 15:37 | 6.3 mww | 15 km SW of Sarpol-e Z?ah?b, Iran | 18 km | 34.36, 45.74 |
| 2018-11-25 02:40 | 6.0 mww | 36 km SE of Mountain, Colombia | 10 km | 13.18, -81.09 |
| 2018-11-18 19:25 | 6.8 mww | 187 km E of Levuka, Fiji | 540 km | -17.87, -178.93 |
| 2018-11-16 02:26 | 6.2 mww | 136 km E of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 10 km | -10.54, 163.17 |
| 2018-11-15 22:09 | 6.3 mww | southern East Pacific Rise | 10 km | -56.24, -122.04 |
| 2018-11-15 19:02 | 6.4 mww | South Sandwich Islands region | 15 km | -56.71, -25.55 |
| 2018-11-14 20:21 | 6.1 mww | 71 km SSW of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 49 km | 55.64, 161.99 |
| 2018-11-11 13:03 | 6.3 mww | North Atlantic Ocean | 10 km | 15.57, -49.87 |
| 2018-11-10 07:33 | 6.1 mww | 79 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga | 35 km | -20.45, -174.01 |
| 2018-11-09 00:49 | 6.7 mww | 120 km NW of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen | 10 km | 71.63, -11.24 |
| 2018-11-04 06:55 | 6.0 mww | 10 km SSE of Sapad, Philippines | 601 km | 7.76, 123.87 |
| 2018-11-02 10:01 | 6.0 mww | 298 km E of Dolinsk, Russia | 433 km | 47.83, 146.70 |
| 2018-11-01 21:19 | 6.2 mww | 115 km NE of Iquique, Chile | 102 km | -19.58, -69.27 |
| 2018-10-30 01:13 | 6.1 mww | 62 km E of Waitara, New Zealand | 225 km | -39.06, 174.96 |
| 2018-10-29 05:54 | 6.3 mww | Drake Passage | 10 km | -57.43, -66.38 |
| 2018-10-28 21:23 | 6.1 mww | 85 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador | 22 km | 13.03, -90.37 |
| 2018-10-25 20:54 | 6.8 mww | 32 km SW of Lithakiá, Greece | 14 km | 37.52, 20.56 |
| 2018-10-22 04:22 | 6.5 mww | 237 km SW of Port McNeill, Canada | 10 km | 49.30, -129.72 |
| 2018-10-22 04:16 | 6.8 mww | 210 km SW of Port McNeill, Canada | 10 km | 49.33, -129.29 |
| 2018-10-22 03:39 | 6.5 mww | 223 km SW of Port McNeill, Canada | 10 km | 49.26, -129.41 |
| 2018-10-15 23:03 | 6.5 mww | 171 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia | 17 km | -21.74, 169.52 |
| 2018-10-15 22:28 | 6.3 mww | 171 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia | 12 km | -21.92, 169.49 |
| 2018-10-13 09:10 | 6.7 mww | 269 km WNW of Ozernovskiy, Russia | 461 km | 52.85, 153.24 |
| 2018-10-10 21:16 | 6.5 mww | 154 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 20 km | 49.29, 156.30 |
| 2018-10-10 20:00 | 6.2 mww | 91 km SW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 121 km | -4.96, 151.72 |
| 2018-10-10 18:48 | 7.0 mww | 119 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 39 km | -5.70, 151.20 |
| 2018-10-10 18:45 | 6.1 mb | 136 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 42 km | -5.74, 151.35 |
| 2018-10-10 16:44 | 6.0 mww | 49 km NE of Panji, Indonesia | 9 km | -7.45, 114.46 |
| 2018-10-09 05:45 | 6.1 mww | 142 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 19 km | 49.40, 156.24 |
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…