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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1918-01-04 15:49 | 6.0 mw | 208 km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -5.96, 153.24 |
| 1918-01-04 04:32 | 6.2 mw | 11 km ESE of El Chol, Guatemala | 10 km | 14.93, -90.38 |
| 1917-12-29 22:50 | 7.2 mw | 31 km S of San Francisco Cozoaltepec, Mexico | 20 km | 15.53, -96.76 |
| 1917-12-28 21:14 | 6.4 mw | 103 km SSE of Akhiok, Alaska | 15 km | 56.16, -153.24 |
| 1917-12-21 20:52 | 6.2 mw | 173 km SSE of Akhiok, Alaska | 15 km | 55.63, -152.66 |
| 1917-12-21 17:54 | 6.6 mw | 88 km SSE of Old Harbor, Alaska | 15 km | 56.45, -152.84 |
| 1917-11-24 11:10 | 6.3 mw | 146 km WSW of Merizo Village, Guam | 15 km | 12.79, 143.40 |
| 1917-11-16 22:17 | 6.6 mw | 114 km SSE of Pondaguitan, Philippines | 65 km | 5.41, 126.59 |
| 1917-11-16 03:19 | 7.5 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 35 km | -29.85, -177.84 |
| 1917-11-14 09:17 | 6.1 mw | 111 km WNW of Attu Station, Alaska | 35 km | 53.23, 171.65 |
| 1917-11-04 12:03 | 6.9 mw | 28 km NNE of Sinabang, Indonesia | 15 km | 2.70, 96.51 |
| 1917-10-29 20:36 | 6.3 mw | 197 km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -6.00, 152.95 |
| 1917-10-28 16:53 | 6.2 mw | north of Ascension Island | 10 km | -1.07, -13.59 |
| 1917-10-19 16:37 | 6.3 mw | 111 km S of San Mateo del Mar, Mexico | 15 km | 15.21, -94.83 |
| 1917-10-07 13:42 | 6.2 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 0.59, -26.25 |
| 1917-09-24 19:07 | 6.2 mw | 206 km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 15 km | -6.12, 152.86 |
| 1917-09-20 01:50 | 6.2 mw | 257 km E of Isangel, Vanuatu | 15 km | -19.77, 171.73 |
| 1917-09-15 08:14 | 6.3 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | -0.76, -19.90 |
| 1917-09-04 15:42 | 6.1 mw | 281 km WSW of Laojunmiao, China | 15 km | 39.15, 94.58 |
| 1917-08-31 10:36 | 7.0 mw | 5 km SE of Castilla La Nueva, Colombia | 15 km | 3.79, -73.65 |
| 1917-08-30 03:07 | 7.3 mB | 145 km NNE of Lospalos, Timor Leste | 140 km | -7.36, 127.62 |
| 1917-08-30 02:24 | 6.4 mw | 8 km SSW of Cubarral, Colombia | 15 km | 3.72, -73.87 |
| 1917-08-21 20:38 | 6.2 mw | Ascension Island region | 10 km | -11.77, -13.32 |
| 1917-08-05 14:50 | 6.8 mw | 56 km SSE of Castlepoint, New Zealand | 15 km | -41.38, 176.46 |
| 1917-07-31 02:23 | 7.4 mB | 7 km WSW of Rajin, North Korea | 460 km | 42.23, 130.20 |
| 1917-07-30 22:54 | 7.0 mw | 42 km W of Xunchang, China | 15 km | 28.40, 104.28 |
| 1917-07-30 15:22 | 6.2 mw | 172 km W of Abepura, Indonesia | 35 km | -2.88, 139.11 |
| 1917-07-29 20:52 | 7.4 mw | 93 km SW of Aitape, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -3.70, 141.73 |
| 1917-07-29 13:32 | 7.1 mw | 123 km SE of Honchō, Japan | 15 km | 41.21, 143.75 |
| 1917-07-27 22:36 | 6.6 mw | 132 km N of Kiunga, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -4.92, 141.32 |
| 1917-07-27 01:51 | 6.9 mB | 72 km WNW of Calingasta, Argentina | 115 km | -30.98, -70.06 |
| 1917-07-27 00:01 | 6.8 mw | 94 km NE of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | 15 km | 19.13, -67.72 |
| 1917-07-25 02:19 | 6.4 mw | 101 km SSW of Sand Point, Alaska | 35 km | 54.49, -161.08 |
| 1917-07-18 06:50 | 6.1 mw | 181 km ESE of Shinmachi, Japan | 15 km | 34.41, 142.10 |
| 1917-07-15 09:25 | 6.6 mw | east of the South Sandwich Islands | 10 km | -58.82, -12.64 |
| 1917-07-12 10:42 | 6.1 mw | 128 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -7.46, 155.30 |
| 1917-07-11 21:41 | 6.4 mw | 88 km SE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 15 km | -13.84, -175.59 |
| 1917-07-04 21:09 | 6.2 mw | 112 km NE of Bamboo Flat, India | 35 km | 12.49, 93.37 |
| 1917-07-04 04:36 | 6.8 mw | 92 km NNE of Hirara, Japan | 15 km | 25.58, 125.65 |
| 1917-07-03 23:38 | 7.3 mw | 120 km ENE of Hirara, Japan | 35 km | 25.16, 126.43 |
| 1917-06-30 16:50 | 6.2 mw | 75 km SSE of Pedasí, Panama | 15 km | 6.87, -79.88 |
| 1917-06-29 15:06 | 6.1 mw | Revilla Gigedo Islands region | 15 km | 20.52, -112.34 |
| 1917-06-28 12:55 | 6.2 mw | 211 km SSW of Vailoatai, American Samoa | 15 km | -16.10, -171.60 |
| 1917-06-26 04:49 | 8.0 mw | The 1917 Samoa-Tonga Earthquake | 15 km | -15.00, -173.27 |
| 1917-06-24 18:48 | 6.5 mw | 77 km SSW of Pangai, Tonga | 35 km | -20.44, -174.70 |
| 1917-06-13 05:41 | 7.0 mw | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 35 km | -29.28, -177.70 |
| 1917-06-10 03:32 | 6.4 mw | off the coast of Northern California | 15 km | 40.20, -127.93 |
| 1917-06-09 15:57 | 6.2 mw | Kermadec Islands region | 15 km | -29.21, -175.87 |
| 1917-06-07 23:51 | 6.7 mw | 8 km S of San Juan Opico, El Salvador | 15 km | 13.80, -89.36 |
| 1917-06-04 00:29 | 6.3 mw | 298 km SSE of Sand Point, Alaska | 15 km | 52.91, -158.57 |
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…