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 · 11/5/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,402
1900 → 2026-11-05
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 11/5/26
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 · 11/5/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 4.8
2026-11-05 09:09 UTC · Sea of Okhotsk
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 11/5/26
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 · 11/5/26
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 · 11/5/26
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 · 11/5/26
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 · 11/5/26
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 · 11/5/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919-07-22 21:01 | 6.1 mw | 110 km SW of Corinto, Nicaragua | 15 km | 11.66, -87.75 |
| 1919-07-17 15:19 | 6.0 mw | 168 km SSW of Puerto San José, Guatemala | 15 km | 12.51, -91.38 |
| 1919-07-17 08:48 | 6.2 mw | 122 km WNW of Naha, Japan | 15 km | 26.60, 126.53 |
| 1919-07-16 03:09 | 6.0 mw | 94 km SSW of Kuril’sk, Russia | 75 km | 44.39, 147.63 |
| 1919-07-14 12:45 | 6.2 mw | 249 km W of Adak, Alaska | 35 km | 51.57, 179.80 |
| 1919-07-10 23:30 | 6.2 mw | 40 km ESE of San Cristóbal, Venezuela | 15 km | 7.68, -71.87 |
| 1919-07-09 18:19 | 6.1 mw | 202 km SW of La Cruz de Loreto, Mexico | 10 km | 18.86, -106.96 |
| 1919-07-08 20:06 | 7.0 mw | 17 km SSW of Sumbawanga, Tanzania | 15 km | -8.11, 31.56 |
| 1919-07-04 12:27 | 6.2 mw | 283 km WSW of Anakao, Madagascar | 10 km | -25.09, 41.33 |
| 1919-06-30 06:26 | 6.4 mw | 10 km SE of Jinka, Ethiopia | 15 km | 5.59, 36.72 |
| 1919-06-29 22:14 | 6.7 mw | 100 km SSW of Intipucá, El Salvador | 20 km | 12.32, -88.30 |
| 1919-06-29 14:06 | 6.2 mw | 1 km NNW of Vicchio, Italy | 15 km | 43.95, 11.45 |
| 1919-06-24 17:34 | 6.2 mw | 17 km WSW of Tamorong, Philippines | 15 km | 17.30, 120.28 |
| 1919-06-23 05:26 | 6.2 mw | 182 km S of Kushiro, Japan | 15 km | 41.34, 144.64 |
| 1919-06-09 06:13 | 6.1 mw | 25 km ESE of Safranbolu, Turkey | 15 km | 41.17, 32.98 |
| 1919-05-29 10:00 | 6.5 mw | 128 km NNW of Kangding, China | 15 km | 31.12, 101.59 |
| 1919-05-27 16:27 | 6.1 mw | 163 km ESE of Mil’kovo, Russia | 45 km | 54.12, 160.94 |
| 1919-05-23 05:11 | 6.5 mw | 61 km NW of Taunsa, Pakistan | 15 km | 31.14, 70.25 |
| 1919-05-22 10:52 | 6.2 mw | 59 km WSW of Adak, Alaska | 35 km | 51.62, -177.39 |
| 1919-05-16 00:00 | 6.2 mw | 198 km SSE of Ishigaki, Japan | 15 km | 22.65, 124.77 |
| 1919-05-08 09:08 | 6.3 mw | 292 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15 km | -16.92, -177.64 |
| 1919-05-07 04:13 | 6.4 mw | 207 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -5.67, 153.59 |
| 1919-05-06 18:41 | 8.2 mw | 1919 Papua New Guinea Earthquake | 35 km | -4.81, 153.86 |
| 1919-05-06 03:09 | 6.1 mw | 122 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa | 15 km | -14.85, -172.62 |
| 1919-05-02 23:52 | 7.7 mw | 277 km SSE of Kushiro, Japan | 15 km | 40.66, 145.63 |
| 1919-05-02 01:07 | 6.6 mw | 151 km S of Hihifo, Tonga | 25 km | -17.32, -173.64 |
| 1919-05-01 04:05 | 6.5 mw | 12 km WNW of Chama, Zambia | 15 km | -11.17, 33.05 |
| 1919-04-30 06:17 | 8.1 mw | 1919 Tonga Earthquake | 25 km | -18.32, -172.44 |
| 1919-04-28 05:46 | 6.2 mw | 8 km WNW of Jujutla, El Salvador | 35 km | 13.81, -89.94 |
| 1919-04-26 23:21 | 6.6 mw | 46 km NNE of Coron, Philippines | 15 km | 12.35, 120.43 |
| 1919-04-24 16:10 | 6.0 mw | 83 km SSW of Banjar, Indonesia | 35 km | -7.83, 107.03 |
| 1919-04-23 06:05 | 6.2 mw | 66 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga | 35 km | -19.68, -174.97 |
| 1919-04-22 01:43 | 6.4 mw | 132 km NNE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -0.98, 147.84 |
| 1919-04-21 10:26 | 6.8 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 8.91, -40.47 |
| 1919-04-18 20:01 | 6.4 mw | 262 km SW of La Cruz de Loreto, Mexico | 10 km | 18.44, -107.33 |
| 1919-04-17 19:53 | 7.0 mw | 31 km SE of Champerico, Guatemala | 35 km | 14.08, -91.72 |
| 1919-04-17 10:22 | 7.2 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 35 km | -30.58, -177.99 |
| 1919-04-16 02:14 | 6.3 mw | southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | -38.96, -17.24 |
| 1919-04-01 23:34 | 6.4 mw | 85 km SSW of Kotabumi, Indonesia | 20 km | -5.49, 104.49 |
| 1919-03-30 09:39 | 6.3 mw | 193 km ENE of Fais, Micronesia | 15 km | 10.55, 142.10 |
| 1919-03-21 16:29 | 6.0 mw | 203 km NNW of Tobelo, Indonesia | 35 km | 3.30, 127.05 |
| 1919-03-21 15:01 | 6.3 mw | 182 km WSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -6.74, 153.89 |
| 1919-03-21 00:02 | 6.7 mw | 45 km SW of Saysain, Philippines | 35 km | 14.32, 120.05 |
| 1919-03-16 06:33 | 6.6 mw | 9 km ENE of Hinatuan, Philippines | 60 km | 8.39, 126.42 |
| 1919-03-09 02:16 | 6.8 mw | 67 km NW of Ancud, Chile | 15 km | -41.42, -74.36 |
| 1919-03-02 10:45 | 7.2 mw | 13 km ENE of Trevelin, Argentina | 15 km | -43.04, -71.31 |
| 1919-03-02 02:26 | 7.3 mw | Off the coast of Los Lagos, Chile | 15 km | -43.81, -78.29 |
| 1919-02-24 01:56 | 6.2 mw | 33 km WSW of Filiatrá, Greece | 15 km | 37.02, 21.24 |
| 1919-02-22 04:16 | 6.2 mw | Kuril Islands | 35 km | 46.96, 153.41 |
| 1919-02-12 20:47 | 6.0 mw | Kuril Islands | 15 km | 45.78, 151.78 |
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 5, 2026 · SHA-256 e808ba4482a1… - 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…