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 4.7
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 · 11/2/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,350
1900 → 2026-11-02
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 11/2/26
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 · 11/2/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 4.7
2026-11-02 07:59 UTC · 100 km SSE of Palekastro, Greece
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 11/2/26
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 · 11/2/26
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 · 11/2/26
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 · 11/2/26
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 · 11/2/26
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 · 11/2/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940-04-18 23:06 | 6.0 mw | 175 km SSE of Attu Station, Alaska | 15 km | 51.33, 173.89 |
| 1940-04-16 05:43 | 7.0 mw | 24 km E of Attu Station, Alaska | 30 km | 52.85, 173.55 |
| 1940-04-16 05:07 | 7.0 mw | 80 km SSE of Attu Station, Alaska | 30 km | 52.22, 173.78 |
| 1940-04-14 13:56 | 6.0 mw | 148 km ESE of Kuril’sk, Russia | 35 km | 44.84, 149.68 |
| 1940-04-08 07:49 | 6.1 mw | 59 km W of Valparaíso, Chile | 20 km | -32.97, -72.26 |
| 1940-04-01 10:19 | 6.5 mw | 119 km WSW of Abepura, Indonesia | 35 km | -2.96, 139.62 |
| 1940-03-27 11:31 | 6.6 mw | 276 km WSW of Adak, Alaska | 50 km | 51.43, 179.43 |
| 1940-03-21 12:52 | 6.3 mw | south of Java, Indonesia | 15 km | -10.22, 107.71 |
| 1940-03-18 04:39 | 6.3 mw | Kermadec Islands region | 45 km | -31.64, -178.44 |
| 1940-03-16 19:40 | 6.1 mw | 118 km ESE of Chignik, Alaska | 15 km | 55.93, -156.61 |
| 1940-03-15 04:28 | 6.1 mw | Bonin Islands, Japan region | 20 km | 26.72, 142.72 |
| 1940-03-14 17:22 | 6.7 mw | west of Macquarie Island | 10 km | -55.37, 147.61 |
| 1940-03-07 06:08 | 6.3 mw | southern East Pacific Rise | 15 km | -32.97, -110.00 |
| 1940-03-04 18:59 | 6.0 mw | northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 15 km | 15.05, -45.25 |
| 1940-03-02 23:05 | 6.4 mw | 70 km WSW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu | 15 km | -17.92, 167.67 |
| 1940-02-29 15:07 | 6.2 mw | 16 km S of Néa Anatolí, Greece | 15 km | 34.86, 25.63 |
| 1940-02-24 12:00 | 6.3 mw | near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -2.44, 141.79 |
| 1940-02-20 12:54 | 6.3 mw | Mid-Indian Ridge | 10 km | -38.79, 78.34 |
| 1940-02-12 09:17 | 6.0 mw | 58 km SW of Sand Point, Alaska | 45 km | 54.96, -161.13 |
| 1940-02-12 00:01 | 6.4 mw | 24 km N of Vallenar, Chile | 35 km | -28.35, -70.78 |
| 1940-02-09 13:53 | 6.1 mw | 86 km NE of Miyako, Japan | 35 km | 40.26, 142.56 |
| 1940-02-07 17:15 | 6.6 mw | 201 km SE of Attu Station, Alaska | 15 km | 51.36, 174.85 |
| 1940-01-26 17:04 | 6.7 mw | 285 km ESE of Naze, Japan | 15 km | 27.42, 132.18 |
| 1940-01-20 09:58 | 6.4 mw | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -54.45, -136.10 |
| 1940-01-19 05:23 | 6.2 mw | 63 km SW of Tongliao, China | 15 km | 43.27, 121.63 |
| 1940-01-17 01:14 | 7.5 mw | Mariana Islands region | 15 km | 17.14, 148.06 |
| 1940-01-07 03:22 | 6.0 mw | 161 km SE of Katsuura, Japan | 15 km | 34.00, 141.39 |
| 1940-01-06 08:15 | 6.1 mw | 285 km E of Kuril’sk, Russia | 25 km | 45.08, 151.50 |
| 1940-01-02 11:07 | 6.3 mw | Easter Island region | 15 km | -29.18, -113.00 |
| 1939-12-26 23:57 | 7.8 mw | 20 km NNE of Erzincan, Turkey | 20 km | 39.91, 39.59 |
| 1939-12-25 16:25 | 6.2 mw | 229 km SE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -7.03, 151.59 |
| 1939-12-23 17:11 | 6.1 mw | 18 km SSE of Paquera, Costa Rica | 35 km | 9.66, -84.90 |
| 1939-12-22 06:59 | 6.0 mw | 131 km WSW of La Libertad, Mexico | 15 km | 29.66, -114.02 |
| 1939-12-22 04:44 | 6.8 mw | 13 km W of Jacó, Costa Rica | 25 km | 9.61, -84.75 |
| 1939-12-21 21:00 | 8.1 mw | 1939 Sulawesi Earthquake | 150 km | -0.02, 122.79 |
| 1939-12-21 20:54 | 7.6 mw | 4 km WNW of Atenas, Costa Rica | 25 km | 9.99, -84.41 |
| 1939-12-16 10:46 | 6.6 mw | 72 km E of Shikotan, Russia | 60 km | 43.77, 147.62 |
| 1939-12-05 08:30 | 6.8 mw | 17 km NE of Champerico, Guatemala | 45 km | 14.41, -91.80 |
| 1939-11-18 00:32 | 6.3 mw | 87 km ESE of Ozernovskiy, Russia | 35 km | 51.07, 157.56 |
| 1939-11-13 06:46 | 6.1 mw | Puget Sound region, Washington | 55 km | 47.40, -122.75 |
| 1939-11-10 19:20 | 6.0 mw | 120 km SE of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -9.42, 149.10 |
| 1939-11-04 09:15 | 6.0 mw | 59 km ENE of Shahrak-e K?l?r?, Iran | 15 km | 32.59, 49.04 |
| 1939-10-10 17:31 | 7.4 mw | off the east coast of Honshu, Japan | 20 km | 38.51, 143.07 |
| 1939-10-09 01:18 | 6.1 mw | 40 km E of Isangel, Vanuatu | 15 km | -19.56, 169.67 |
| 1939-10-07 19:43 | 6.2 mw | 261 km NE of Lospalos, Timor Leste | 15 km | -6.67, 128.47 |
| 1939-09-21 23:36 | 6.5 mw | 9 km NNW of Bergama, Turkey | 35 km | 39.20, 27.14 |
| 1939-09-17 18:20 | 6.1 mw | Auckland Islands, New Zealand region | 10 km | -50.24, 163.75 |
| 1939-09-08 11:04 | 7.2 mw | 238 km SSE of Attu Station, Alaska | 15 km | 51.00, 174.96 |
| 1939-09-02 07:58 | 6.4 mw | 182 km NNW of Sola, Vanuatu | 35 km | -12.45, 166.70 |
| 1939-08-25 02:48 | 6.0 mw | 109 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -4.68, 153.20 |
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 2, 2026 · SHA-256 b884f435dbf0… - 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…