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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939-02-03 20:13 | 6.1 mw | 273 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga | 15 km | -23.79, -174.62 |
| 1939-02-03 05:26 | 7.0 mw | 44 km NW of Malango, Solomon Islands | 15 km | -9.44, 159.41 |
| 1939-02-02 23:16 | 6.1 mw | 162 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -7.76, 155.20 |
| 1939-01-30 02:18 | 7.8 mw | 85 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -7.09, 155.39 |
| 1939-01-25 03:32 | 7.8 mw | 26 km WNW of San Carlos, Chile | 35 km | -36.30, -72.21 |
| 1939-01-22 13:31 | 6.1 mw | 83 km WSW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea | 25 km | -6.57, 148.89 |
| 1939-01-22 04:41 | 6.1 mw | Southwestern Sakha, Russia | 15 km | 56.08, 130.12 |
| 1939-01-20 20:40 | 6.2 mw | 107 km SSW of Puerto San José, Guatemala | 15 km | 13.08, -91.30 |
| 1939-01-18 01:44 | 6.0 mw | 33 km NW of La Serena, Chile | 35 km | -29.66, -71.45 |
| 1938-12-30 02:20 | 6.1 mw | 57 km N of Castlepoint, New Zealand | 15 km | -40.38, 176.30 |
| 1938-12-22 16:56 | 6.1 mw | 72 km SW of Yonakuni, Japan | 35 km | 23.94, 122.57 |
| 1938-12-21 12:26 | 6.3 mw | 139 km SSE of Dompu, Indonesia | 25 km | -9.76, 118.78 |
| 1938-12-20 14:51 | 6.0 mw | 141 km ESE of ?funato, Japan | 15 km | 38.37, 143.08 |
| 1938-12-19 18:23 | 6.3 mw | 82 km E of Shikotan, Russia | 35 km | 43.90, 147.74 |
| 1938-12-18 21:45 | 6.3 mw | 154 km ESE of ?funato, Japan | 15 km | 38.37, 143.25 |
| 1938-12-17 16:35 | 6.4 mw | 73 km ESE of Khovd, Mongolia | 10 km | 47.74, 92.54 |
| 1938-12-16 23:14 | 6.6 mw | 115 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 15 km | -44.85, 166.49 |
| 1938-12-16 17:21 | 7.0 mw | 15 km WNW of Te Anau, New Zealand | 100 km | -45.37, 167.53 |
| 1938-12-13 17:25 | 6.4 mw | 133 km SE of Kamaishi, Japan | 20 km | 38.58, 143.12 |
| 1938-12-09 03:55 | 6.2 mw | 19 km SW of Old Harbor, Alaska | 25 km | 57.08, -153.55 |
| 1938-12-07 13:23 | 6.8 mw | 110 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 55 km | -6.06, 154.52 |
| 1938-12-07 13:04 | 6.5 mw | 118 km ESE of ?funato, Japan | 25 km | 38.52, 142.89 |
| 1938-12-06 23:00 | 7.0 mw | 113 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan | 15 km | 22.84, 121.52 |
| 1938-12-04 16:23 | 6.3 mw | 187 km W of Lata, Solomon Islands | 35 km | -10.49, 164.10 |
| 1938-12-03 12:11 | 6.4 mw | 100 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan | 25 km | 36.82, 141.98 |
| 1938-12-02 22:14 | 6.1 mw | 249 km NW of Nagqu, China | 15 km | 33.21, 90.36 |
| 1938-12-01 02:12 | 6.5 mw | 258 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands | 25 km | 17.05, 147.25 |
| 1938-11-30 02:29 | 7.0 mw | 99 km E of Iwaki, Japan | 30 km | 37.04, 142.00 |
| 1938-11-29 13:39 | 6.5 mw | 127 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan | 25 km | 36.67, 142.23 |
| 1938-11-25 08:20 | 6.3 mw | 92 km E of Iwaki, Japan | 25 km | 37.03, 141.92 |
| 1938-11-22 03:23 | 6.0 mw | 149 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan | 25 km | 36.59, 142.46 |
| 1938-11-22 01:14 | 6.8 mw | 155 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan | 25 km | 36.66, 142.55 |
| 1938-11-21 01:11 | 6.3 mw | 167 km NNE of Shi Yomi, India | 15 km | 29.89, 95.14 |
| 1938-11-19 05:39 | 6.2 mw | Kuril Islands | 25 km | 47.10, 154.26 |
| 1938-11-17 03:54 | 6.9 mw | 105 km ESE of Perryville, Alaska | 35 km | 55.41, -157.73 |
| 1938-11-16 11:08 | 6.2 mw | 71 km ESE of Namie, Japan | 25 km | 37.34, 141.78 |
| 1938-11-15 21:00 | 6.5 mw | southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia | 15 km | -4.50, 98.66 |
| 1938-11-14 12:06 | 6.5 mw | 143 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -5.87, 151.39 |
| 1938-11-14 02:36 | 6.2 mw | 165 km ESE of Namie, Japan | 25 km | 37.00, 142.76 |
| 1938-11-13 22:31 | 7.1 mw | 200 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan | 35 km | 36.48, 143.02 |
| 1938-11-13 13:13 | 6.6 mw | 105 km ESE of Kuril’sk, Russia | 65 km | 44.96, 149.17 |
| 1938-11-13 04:53 | 6.0 mw | 23 km E of Loreto, Philippines | 35 km | 10.34, 125.78 |
| 1938-11-12 14:50 | 6.3 mw | Kuril Islands | 35 km | 47.42, 153.43 |
| 1938-11-11 08:53 | 6.1 mw | 149 km S of Akhiok, Alaska | 15 km | 55.60, -154.22 |
| 1938-11-11 02:57 | 6.2 mw | Izu Islands, Japan region | 20 km | 32.67, 141.92 |
| 1938-11-11 00:57 | 6.6 mw | 104 km SSE of Perryville, Alaska | 35 km | 55.02, -158.64 |
| 1938-11-10 20:18 | 8.2 mw | 1938 Semidi Islands, Alaska Earthquake | 35 km | 55.18, -158.18 |
| 1938-11-10 10:46 | 6.6 mw | Izu Islands, Japan region | 25 km | 32.58, 141.71 |
| 1938-11-09 09:15 | 6.9 mw | 174 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan | 15 km | 36.49, 142.71 |
| 1938-11-07 19:33 | 6.5 mw | 156 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan | 30 km | 36.68, 142.58 |
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 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…