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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1915-12-06 20:58 | 6.3 mw | 72 km SSW of Kushiro, Japan | 35 km | 42.43, 143.90 |
| 1915-12-03 02:39 | 6.6 mw | 34 km NNW of Tawang, India | 15 km | 27.84, 91.75 |
| 1915-11-21 00:13 | 6.6 mw | Baja California-Sonora Border Region, Mexico | 10 km | 31.93, -114.94 |
| 1915-11-18 20:19 | 6.3 mw | 125 km WNW of Puro Pinget, Philippines | 15 km | 17.94, 119.21 |
| 1915-11-18 04:02 | 6.8 mw | 62 km SE of Kamaishi, Japan | 35 km | 38.96, 142.46 |
| 1915-11-04 03:12 | 6.3 mw | 93 km ESE of Kamaishi, Japan | 35 km | 39.05, 142.91 |
| 1915-11-01 09:00 | 6.8 mw | 79 km ESE of Kamaishi, Japan | 35 km | 38.90, 142.65 |
| 1915-11-01 07:23 | 7.6 mw | 119 km SE of Kamaishi, Japan | 30 km | 38.66, 143.00 |
| 1915-10-12 21:29 | 6.4 mw | 227 km ESE of Yamada, Japan | 15 km | 38.90, 144.48 |
| 1915-10-11 19:33 | 6.4 mw | 120 km N of Isabela, Puerto Rico | 15 km | 19.58, -67.17 |
| 1915-10-11 02:37 | 6.1 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 7.51, -35.93 |
| 1915-10-08 15:36 | 7.0 mB | 139 km S of Ōyama, Japan | 290 km | 33.35, 138.04 |
| 1915-10-03 06:53 | 6.8 mw | The 1915 Pleasant Valley, Nevada Earthquake | 10 km | 40.27, -117.58 |
| 1915-10-03 01:49 | 6.0 mw | Pleasant Valley, Nevada (Foreshock) | — | 40.50, -117.50 |
| 1915-09-23 08:14 | 6.2 mw | 42 km NNW of Axum, Ethiopia | 10 km | 14.48, 38.58 |
| 1915-09-12 20:43 | 6.4 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | 7.93, -37.28 |
| 1915-09-11 23:59 | 6.8 mB | 173 km SW of Palimbang, Philippines | 550 km | 5.03, 123.16 |
| 1915-09-07 01:20 | 7.7 mw | 12 km NW of Chalatenango, El Salvador | 15 km | 14.13, -89.01 |
| 1915-09-05 12:17 | 6.1 mw | 169 km E of Aras-asan, Philippines | 15 km | 8.94, 127.85 |
| 1915-08-19 06:42 | 6.0 mw | 14 km NW of Lefkáda, Greece | 15 km | 38.91, 20.58 |
| 1915-08-16 00:56 | 6.4 mw | 224 km WSW of Adak, Alaska | 35 km | 51.36, -179.77 |
| 1915-08-12 09:16 | 6.2 mw | Nicobar Islands, India region | 15 km | 7.48, 91.52 |
| 1915-08-12 07:36 | 6.3 mw | 84 km W of Mamuju, Indonesia | 35 km | -2.82, 118.14 |
| 1915-08-11 09:10 | 6.0 mw | 37 km NW of Lixoúri, Greece | 15 km | 38.45, 20.15 |
| 1915-08-10 02:02 | 6.4 mw | 34 km NW of Itháki, Greece | 15 km | 38.57, 20.42 |
| 1915-08-07 15:04 | 6.5 mw | 32 km NNW of Lixoúri, Greece | 15 km | 38.49, 20.36 |
| 1915-08-06 13:12 | 6.7 mw | 153 km E of Shikotan, Russia | 15 km | 43.70, 148.62 |
| 1915-08-03 13:05 | 6.8 mw | 6 km ENE of Nabire, Indonesia | 35 km | -3.35, 135.56 |
| 1915-07-31 01:31 | 7.3 mw | 233 km SE of Atlasovo, Russia | 20 km | 54.05, 162.09 |
| 1915-07-08 22:19 | 6.4 mw | 224 km ENE of Hasaki, Japan | 15 km | 36.30, 143.22 |
| 1915-07-07 16:42 | 6.0 mB | 25 km W of San Marco, Italy | 320 km | 40.28, 14.64 |
| 1915-06-27 15:25 | 6.4 mw | 150 km ENE of Kuril’sk, Russia | 15 km | 45.87, 149.58 |
| 1915-06-23 03:59 | 6.0 mw | The 1915 Imperial Valley, California Earthquakes (First Major Event) | — | 32.80, -115.50 |
| 1915-06-07 21:59 | 6.3 mw | 192 km E of Kuril’sk, Russia | 35 km | 45.35, 150.32 |
| 1915-06-06 21:29 | 7.3 mB | 136 km WSW of Challapata, Bolivia | 160 km | -19.24, -68.01 |
| 1915-06-04 21:57 | 6.4 mw | 138 km SSE of Honchō, Japan | 15 km | 41.01, 143.66 |
| 1915-06-04 17:21 | 6.0 mw | 2 km ESE of Kerasochóri, Greece | 15 km | 39.00, 21.67 |
| 1915-06-01 14:44 | 6.5 mw | 186 km SW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen | 10 km | 77.30, 9.09 |
| 1915-05-21 04:19 | 6.5 mw | 106 km SE of Bor, South Sudan | 15 km | 5.63, 32.32 |
| 1915-05-14 14:23 | 6.1 mw | east of the Kuril Islands | 15 km | 47.16, 155.39 |
| 1915-05-14 06:41 | 6.3 mw | 251 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 15 km | 48.54, 155.00 |
| 1915-05-12 10:29 | 6.8 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | -0.05, -20.21 |
| 1915-05-08 13:42 | 6.4 mw | Mozambique Channel | 10 km | -22.81, 38.52 |
| 1915-05-06 12:09 | 6.3 mw | 237 km WSW of Ferndale, California | 15 km | 40.15, -127.00 |
| 1915-05-05 15:12 | 6.1 mw | Southern Qinghai, China | 15 km | 34.00, 96.59 |
| 1915-05-05 11:09 | 6.4 mw | 264 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia | 35 km | -6.34, 130.48 |
| 1915-05-03 03:14 | 6.6 mw | 240 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 35 km | 48.57, 155.37 |
| 1915-05-02 03:59 | 6.3 mw | 280 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 35 km | 48.22, 155.24 |
| 1915-05-01 05:00 | 7.8 mw | 266 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 30 km | 48.39, 155.00 |
| 1915-04-30 01:45 | 6.4 mw | 134 km SW of Hovd, Mongolia | 15 km | 43.90, 100.88 |
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…