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 4.7
Strongest in the catalogue
M 9.5
Earthquakes M ≥ 7
1,620
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/24/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,089
1900 → 2026-10-24
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/24/26
Earthquakes M ≥ 7
1,620
including 100 M ≥ 8
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/24/26
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 4.7
2026-10-24 09:48 UTC · 72 km S of Basco, Philippines
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/24/26
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 · 10/24/26
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 · 10/24/26
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 · 10/24/26
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/24/26
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 · 10/24/26
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 · 10/23/26
| # | 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 · 10/24/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-03-09 17:16 | 6.0 mww | 99 km E of Ishinomaki, Japan | 22 km | 38.32, 142.43 |
| 2011-03-09 01:45 | 7.3 mww | 120 km SE of ?funato, Japan | 32 km | 38.44, 142.84 |
| 2011-03-06 23:09 | 6.3 mww | 126 km W of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 22 km | -10.35, 160.77 |
| 2011-03-06 13:32 | 6.5 mww | South Sandwich Islands region | 88 km | -56.42, -27.06 |
| 2011-03-06 11:31 | 6.3 mww | 68 km ESE of Palca, Peru | 118 km | -18.02, -69.36 |
| 2011-02-28 23:53 | 6.0 mww | Easter Island region | 10 km | -29.70, -111.98 |
| 2011-02-21 22:51 | 6.1 mww | 6 km SE of Christchurch, New Zealand | 6 km | -43.58, 172.68 |
| 2011-02-21 09:57 | 6.5 mww | south of the Fiji Islands | 558 km | -26.14, 178.39 |
| 2011-02-20 20:43 | 6.1 mww | 41 km SSW of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia | 33 km | 55.92, 162.12 |
| 2011-02-15 12:33 | 6.1 mww | 146 km SSE of Poso, Indonesia | 16 km | -2.50, 121.48 |
| 2011-02-14 02:40 | 6.7 mww | 38 km W of Constitución, Chile | 21 km | -35.38, -72.83 |
| 2011-02-13 09:35 | 6.0 mwc | 9 km NNW of Talcahuano, Chile | 17 km | -36.65, -73.18 |
| 2011-02-12 16:57 | 6.1 mww | 56 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga | 85 km | -20.88, -175.67 |
| 2011-02-12 00:17 | 6.1 mwb | 13 km SSE of Chiguayante, Chile | 16 km | -37.03, -72.95 |
| 2011-02-11 19:05 | 6.9 mww | 21 km N of Tomé, Chile | 26 km | -36.42, -72.96 |
| 2011-02-10 13:41 | 6.6 mwb | 250 km SSE of Tabiauan, Philippines | 525 km | 4.08, 123.04 |
| 2011-02-10 13:39 | 6.5 mww | 235 km SSE of Tabiauan, Philippines | 523 km | 4.20, 122.97 |
| 2011-02-07 18:53 | 6.4 mww | 98 km SSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 415 km | -7.15, 155.18 |
| 2011-02-04 12:53 | 6.2 mww | 62 km E of W?ngjing, India | 85 km | 24.62, 94.68 |
| 2011-01-31 05:03 | 6.0 mww | 101 km SSW of Vaini, Tonga | 76 km | -22.01, -175.62 |
| 2011-01-29 05:55 | 6.2 mwc | 75 km E of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen | 15 km | 70.93, -6.66 |
| 2011-01-27 07:38 | 6.2 mww | 119 km SSE of Bam, Iran | 10 km | 28.20, 59.02 |
| 2011-01-26 14:42 | 6.1 mww | 58 km ESE of Sinabang, Indonesia | 23 km | 2.20, 96.83 |
| 2011-01-24 01:45 | 6.0 mww | 106 km WNW of Murghob, Tajikistan | 110 km | 38.41, 72.79 |
| 2011-01-18 19:23 | 7.2 mww | 46 km WSW of Dalbandin, Pakistan | 68 km | 28.78, 63.95 |
| 2011-01-17 18:20 | 6.0 mww | 129 km SSW of Pagar Alam, Indonesia | 36 km | -5.03, 102.65 |
| 2011-01-13 15:16 | 7.0 mww | 118 km NNE of Tadine, New Caledonia | 9 km | -20.63, 168.47 |
| 2011-01-12 20:32 | 6.4 mww | Bonin Islands, Japan region | 512 km | 26.97, 139.88 |
| 2011-01-09 16:21 | 6.1 mww | 124 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu | 18 km | -19.20, 168.16 |
| 2011-01-09 09:03 | 6.5 mww | 110 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu | 22 km | -19.16, 168.31 |
| 2011-01-05 05:46 | 6.1 mww | southeast of the Loyalty Islands | 112 km | -22.26, 171.63 |
| 2011-01-02 19:20 | 7.2 mww | 42 km NNW of Carahue, Chile | 24 km | -38.36, -73.33 |
| 2011-01-01 08:56 | 7.0 mww | 26 km NNE of El Hoyo, Argentina | 577 km | -26.80, -63.14 |
| 2010-12-29 05:54 | 6.4 mwc | 120 km W of Isangel, Vanuatu | 16 km | -19.66, 168.14 |
| 2010-12-28 07:34 | 6.3 mwc | south of the Fiji Islands | 551 km | -23.41, -179.80 |
| 2010-12-26 01:13 | 6.0 mwb | 105 km W of Isangel, Vanuatu | 13 km | -19.62, 168.28 |
| 2010-12-25 12:16 | 7.3 mwc | 141 km W of Isangel, Vanuatu | 16 km | -19.70, 167.95 |
| 2010-12-23 13:00 | 6.4 mwc | 139 km WNW of Attu Station, Alaska | 18 km | 53.13, 171.16 |
| 2010-12-22 20:49 | 6.4 mwc | Bonin Islands, Japan region | 18 km | 26.81, 143.60 |
| 2010-12-21 16:19 | 7.4 mwc | Bonin Islands, Japan region | 14 km | 26.90, 143.70 |
| 2010-12-20 17:41 | 6.7 mwc | 111 km SE of Bam, Iran | 12 km | 28.41, 59.18 |
| 2010-12-15 10:29 | 6.0 mwc | 241 km NE of Lospalos, Timor Leste | 135 km | -7.27, 128.79 |
| 2010-12-13 00:14 | 6.2 mwc | 30 km SE of Panguna, Papua New Guinea | 136 km | -6.53, 155.65 |
| 2010-12-08 04:24 | 6.3 mwc | South Sandwich Islands region | 29 km | -56.41, -25.74 |
| 2010-12-02 02:12 | 6.6 mwb | 52 km ENE of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea | 33 km | -6.00, 149.98 |
| 2010-12-01 15:01 | 6.1 mwc | 189 km ENE of Labasa, Fiji | 15 km | -15.89, -178.96 |
| 2010-11-30 02:24 | 6.8 mwc | Bonin Islands, Japan region | 470 km | 28.35, 139.19 |
| 2010-11-23 08:01 | 6.1 mwc | 69 km WNW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea | 68 km | -5.96, 148.97 |
| 2010-11-21 03:36 | 6.0 mwc | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -54.97, -131.48 |
| 2010-11-10 03:05 | 6.5 mwc | southeast Indian Ridge | 10 km | -45.46, 96.39 |
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 Oct 24, 2026 · SHA-256 10108b8ff56e… - 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 23, 2026 · SHA-256 f99e14bcd8f1…