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 5.0
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 · 11/4/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,380
1900 → 2026-11-04
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 11/4/26
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 · 11/4/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 5.0
2026-11-04 06:40 UTC · 207 km ESE of Sarangani, Philippines
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 11/4/26
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 · 11/4/26
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 · 11/4/26
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 · 11/4/26
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 · 11/4/26
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 · 11/4/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931-01-15 21:01 | 6.6 mw | 230 km NNW of Nago, Japan | 35 km | 28.53, 127.07 |
| 1931-01-15 01:50 | 7.6 mw | 5 km SSW of San Miguel Suchixtepec, Mexico | 35 km | 16.05, -96.49 |
| 1931-01-12 20:34 | 6.3 mw | 142 km SSE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 15 km | 55.04, 163.32 |
| 1931-01-02 09:49 | 6.8 mw | 256 km SW of La Cruz de Loreto, Mexico | 20 km | 18.71, -107.48 |
| 1931-01-01 23:52 | 6.3 mw | 78 km SW of Yonakuni, Japan | 15 km | 23.95, 122.46 |
| 1930-12-25 13:07 | 6.1 mw | Tristan da Cunha region | 10 km | -34.07, -12.06 |
| 1930-12-24 06:02 | 6.1 mw | 7 km ESE of El Carril, Argentina | 15 km | -25.10, -65.42 |
| 1930-12-22 04:19 | 6.2 mw | 11 km SSE of Pizitou, Taiwan | 15 km | 23.39, 120.48 |
| 1930-12-22 00:08 | 6.2 mw | 12 km SW of Pizitou, Taiwan | 15 km | 23.42, 120.35 |
| 1930-12-08 17:21 | 6.2 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 15 km | -29.59, -177.07 |
| 1930-12-08 08:01 | 6.2 mw | 23 km NW of Yujing, Taiwan | 15 km | 23.26, 120.28 |
| 1930-12-06 07:03 | 6.5 ms | 173 km ENE of Atka, Alaska | 80 km | 53.00, -172.00 |
| 1930-12-06 07:03 | 6.1 mw | 185 km ESE of Atka, Alaska | 35 km | 51.86, -171.56 |
| 1930-12-03 18:51 | 7.5 mw | 36 km SSW of Pyu, Myanmar | 10 km | 18.17, 96.34 |
| 1930-12-02 07:01 | 6.3 mw | 113 km ENE of Myitkyina, Myanmar | 35 km | 25.74, 98.46 |
| 1930-11-30 21:30 | 6.1 mw | 214 km SW of Emiliano Zapata, Mexico | 15 km | 18.15, -106.54 |
| 1930-11-28 07:32 | 6.4 mw | 199 km SW of La Cruz de Loreto, Mexico | 15 km | 18.75, -106.82 |
| 1930-11-25 19:02 | 6.9 mw | 5 km WSW of Atami, Japan | 15 km | 35.06, 139.01 |
| 1930-11-22 13:56 | 6.2 mw | Kermadec Islands region | 35 km | -29.50, -176.94 |
| 1930-11-17 12:03 | 6.3 mw | 211 km ENE of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -2.15, 152.65 |
| 1930-11-13 23:05 | 6.1 mw | 118 km NE of Sorong, Indonesia | 35 km | -0.20, 132.08 |
| 1930-11-12 19:10 | 6.2 mw | 229 km S of Nikolski, Alaska | 15 km | 50.88, -168.85 |
| 1930-11-10 13:44 | 6.6 mw | 208 km W of Abepura, Indonesia | 30 km | -2.36, 138.77 |
| 1930-11-09 19:08 | 7.0 mw | 141 km ENE of Sorong, Indonesia | 25 km | -0.36, 132.42 |
| 1930-11-03 18:36 | 6.1 mw | 77 km SSE of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -3.25, 150.99 |
| 1930-10-31 10:24 | 6.5 mw | 62 km S of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 15 km | -11.02, 161.89 |
| 1930-10-28 21:10 | 6.5 mw | Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands | 25 km | 18.52, 146.62 |
| 1930-10-24 20:15 | 7.2 mw | Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands | 25 km | 18.45, 146.69 |
| 1930-10-23 08:55 | 6.4 mw | 166 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15 km | -15.81, -178.26 |
| 1930-10-17 08:46 | 6.4 mw | 17 km NNE of Hacienda La Calera, Chile | 35 km | -32.63, -71.18 |
| 1930-10-08 10:19 | 6.6 mw | 129 km E of Sola, Vanuatu | 15 km | -13.80, 168.75 |
| 1930-09-30 20:20 | 6.6 mw | near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -4.42, 145.63 |
| 1930-09-25 17:33 | 6.0 mw | Myanmar-China border region | 35 km | 25.94, 98.80 |
| 1930-09-25 17:06 | 6.2 mw | east of the North Island of New Zealand | 35 km | -35.32, -179.60 |
| 1930-09-24 11:06 | 6.0 mw | 117 km E of Union, Philippines | 15 km | 9.70, 127.18 |
| 1930-09-22 13:19 | 6.2 mw | 13 km NW of Imph?l, India | 35 km | 24.91, 93.86 |
| 1930-09-22 00:31 | 6.4 mw | east of the North Island of New Zealand | 35 km | -35.68, -179.77 |
| 1930-09-21 22:04 | 6.7 mw | 129 km ENE of Myitkyina, Myanmar | 15 km | 25.83, 98.59 |
| 1930-09-14 02:01 | 6.3 mw | west of Macquarie Island | 10 km | -59.67, 150.45 |
| 1930-09-13 22:17 | 6.0 mw | southeast of the Loyalty Islands | 15 km | -22.92, 172.43 |
| 1930-09-11 11:36 | 6.0 mw | 23 km W of ?brad?, Turkey | 15 km | 37.06, 31.34 |
| 1930-08-24 08:08 | 6.0 mw | 80 km E of Gizo, Solomon Islands | 15 km | -8.17, 157.57 |
| 1930-08-23 09:53 | 6.2 mw | 92 km E of Ger?sh, Iran | 15 km | 27.77, 55.07 |
| 1930-08-20 19:54 | 6.7 mw | 50 km ESE of Yilan, Taiwan | 15 km | 24.63, 122.23 |
| 1930-08-18 08:53 | 6.9 mw | South Sandwich Islands region | 35 km | -55.79, -27.98 |
| 1930-08-02 15:06 | 6.3 mw | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -54.63, -133.71 |
| 1930-07-22 23:08 | 6.6 mw | 3 km SSW of Bisaccia Nuova, Italy | 15 km | 40.98, 15.34 |
| 1930-07-14 21:40 | 6.8 mw | 8 km NNW of Moyuta, Guatemala | 15 km | 14.11, -90.10 |
| 1930-07-13 18:27 | 6.5 mw | 200 km S of Jiuquan, China | 10 km | 37.95, 98.23 |
| 1930-07-13 00:12 | 6.3 mw | 213 km SW of Ushuaia, Argentina | 10 km | -56.21, -70.64 |
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 4, 2026 · SHA-256 165ea85a63c3… - 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…