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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916-10-03 01:26 | 6.9 mw | 13 km SSW of San Juan, Peru | 70 km | -14.77, -74.26 |
| 1916-09-29 17:54 | 6.3 mw | 102 km SW of Huarmey, Peru | 15 km | -10.61, -78.91 |
| 1916-09-23 04:42 | 6.5 mw | off the coast of Central America | 15 km | 11.22, -91.21 |
| 1916-09-15 06:01 | 6.6 mw | 136 km SSE of Katsuura, Japan | 35 km | 33.99, 140.84 |
| 1916-09-11 05:30 | 6.6 mw | 68 km S of Sumberpucung, Indonesia | 65 km | -8.77, 112.37 |
| 1916-09-03 06:13 | 6.4 mw | 177 km SW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -7.24, 154.18 |
| 1916-08-28 06:27 | 7.0 mw | 157 km E of Hengchun, Taiwan | 15 km | 21.86, 122.26 |
| 1916-08-28 05:39 | 7.0 mw | 21 km SE of Dārchulā, Nepal | 20 km | 29.67, 80.68 |
| 1916-08-27 21:42 | 6.4 mw | 94 km ENE of Namie, Japan | 35 km | 37.69, 142.04 |
| 1916-08-25 08:44 | 6.9 mw | 181 km W of Iquique, Chile | 15 km | -20.16, -71.89 |
| 1916-08-16 06:06 | 6.0 mw | 15 km NNE of Pesaro, Italy | 10 km | 44.04, 13.01 |
| 1916-08-08 17:53 | 6.0 mw | 48 km NNW of Davila, Philippines | 15 km | 18.85, 120.34 |
| 1916-08-08 03:24 | 6.3 mw | 15 km NW of Maki, Japan | 15 km | 37.83, 138.74 |
| 1916-08-03 00:30 | 7.0 mw | 109 km SSE of Ialibu, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -7.19, 144.40 |
| 1916-07-27 10:52 | 6.1 mw | 59 km W of Kabanjahe, Indonesia | 15 km | 3.18, 97.96 |
| 1916-07-16 17:14 | 6.3 mw | 100 km E of Miyako, Japan | 35 km | 39.74, 143.10 |
| 1916-07-08 08:34 | 7.1 mB | 217 km E of Levuka, Fiji | 600 km | -18.03, -178.63 |
| 1916-06-30 02:00 | 6.8 mw | 13 km N of Muisne, Ecuador | 15 km | 0.73, -80.01 |
| 1916-06-21 20:32 | 7.1 mw | 48 km NNW of Suncho Corral, Argentina | 600 km | -27.51, -63.54 |
| 1916-06-09 21:24 | 6.3 mw | 77 km E of Pondaguitan, Philippines | 35 km | 6.24, 126.87 |
| 1916-06-02 13:59 | 7.0 mB | 7 km N of Jesús Carranza, Mexico | 100 km | 17.51, -95.02 |
| 1916-05-17 12:50 | 6.0 mw | 19 km NNE of Gabicce Mare, Italy | 15 km | 44.13, 12.83 |
| 1916-05-09 14:33 | 6.3 mw | North Indian Ocean | 15 km | 0.32, 88.51 |
| 1916-04-26 02:21 | 6.7 mw | 11 km NE of Changuinola, Panama | 10 km | 9.51, -82.46 |
| 1916-04-24 08:02 | 7.1 mw | 6 km WNW of Siquirres, Costa Rica | 15 km | 10.11, -83.56 |
| 1916-04-24 04:26 | 6.8 mw | 26 km SE of Boca de Yuma, Dominican Republic | 100 km | 18.19, -68.45 |
| 1916-04-21 13:56 | 6.2 ms | 76 km NE of Bāzārak, Afghanistan | 205 km | 35.86, 70.03 |
| 1916-04-21 11:31 | 7.0 mw | 208 km SE of Katsuura, Japan | 15 km | 33.70, 141.76 |
| 1916-04-18 04:01 | 7.4 mB | 133 km WNW of Nikolski, Alaska | 140 km | 53.44, -170.67 |
| 1916-04-15 12:31 | 6.7 mw | 69 km SSE of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 35 km | -4.34, 102.60 |
| 1916-04-07 09:26 | 7.2 mw | South Indian Ocean | 10 km | -31.85, 54.77 |
| 1916-03-25 23:52 | 6.4 mw | 21 km SSW of Hirara, Japan | 35 km | 24.62, 125.24 |
| 1916-03-18 00:55 | 6.1 mw | 102 km S of Kushiro, Japan | 60 km | 42.06, 144.45 |
| 1916-02-27 20:21 | 7.3 mw | 204 km WSW of Sámara, Costa Rica | 15 km | 9.45, -87.34 |
| 1916-02-20 17:47 | 6.7 mw | 103 km SE of Nikolski, Alaska | 35 km | 52.39, -167.63 |
| 1916-02-15 11:35 | 6.4 mw | Prince William Sound, Alaska | 25 km | 60.45, -147.26 |
| 1916-02-14 10:01 | 6.4 mw | 233 km SSE of Sarangani, Philippines | 70 km | 3.54, 126.46 |
| 1916-02-06 21:51 | 7.0 mw | Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 15 km | 50.78, 179.03 |
| 1916-02-06 10:52 | 6.2 mw | northwest of the Kuril Islands | 15 km | 47.63, 149.72 |
| 1916-02-01 07:36 | 7.4 mw | 152 km ESE of Koshima, Japan | 15 km | 29.51, 131.88 |
| 1916-01-26 07:38 | 6.4 mw | 1 km SE of Bruiu, Romania | 15 km | 45.86, 24.71 |
| 1916-01-24 06:55 | 7.0 mw | 18 km W of Doğanşar, Turkey | 15 km | 40.20, 37.31 |
| 1916-01-13 10:51 | 6.4 mw | 82 km S of Biak, Indonesia | 35 km | -1.92, 135.97 |
| 1916-01-13 08:20 | 7.7 mw | 36 km NNE of Nabire, Indonesia | 25 km | -3.08, 135.68 |
| 1916-01-13 06:18 | 7.0 mw | 27 km NE of Nabire, Indonesia | 25 km | -3.21, 135.70 |
| 1916-01-01 13:20 | 8.0 mw | 60 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 35 km | -4.76, 152.63 |
| 1915-12-31 12:20 | 6.4 mw | 187 km W of Trinidad, California | 15 km | 41.19, -126.37 |
| 1915-12-19 20:13 | 6.1 mw | 33 km SW of Sinabang, Indonesia | 35 km | 2.28, 96.16 |
| 1915-12-17 07:05 | 6.5 mw | 102 km SSE of Ak-Suu, Kyrgyzstan | 20 km | 41.70, 79.14 |
| 1915-12-07 10:38 | 6.3 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 8.40, -38.71 |
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…