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 5.2
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 · 10/26/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,154
1900 → 2026-10-26
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/26/26
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 · 10/26/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 5.2
2026-10-26 11:13 UTC · 205 km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/26/26
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 · 10/26/26
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 · 10/26/26
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 · 10/26/26
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 · 10/26/26
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 · 10/23/26
| # | 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 · 10/26/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-09-28 11:38 | 7.5 mwc | Volcano Islands, Japan region | 260 km | 22.01, 142.67 |
| 2007-09-27 23:35 | 6.5 mwb | 161 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia | 10 km | -21.13, 169.37 |
| 2007-09-27 23:01 | 6.3 mwc | 158 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia | 12 km | -21.21, 169.36 |
| 2007-09-27 17:57 | 6.1 mwb | 153 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia | 9 km | -21.10, 169.28 |
| 2007-09-26 13:43 | 6.1 mwc | 133 km SW of Padang, Indonesia | 26 km | -1.79, 99.49 |
| 2007-09-26 10:36 | 6.8 mwc | 154 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 40 km | -4.99, 153.50 |
| 2007-09-25 03:16 | 6.2 mwb | Kermadec Islands region | 417 km | -30.96, 180.00 |
| 2007-09-20 06:31 | 6.7 mwc | 118 km SSW of Padang, Indonesia | 30 km | -2.00, 100.14 |
| 2007-09-19 05:27 | 6.0 mwc | 94 km SW of Sungai Penuh, Indonesia | 35 km | -2.75, 100.89 |
| 2007-09-14 04:01 | 6.4 mwc | 125 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 23 km | -4.08, 101.17 |
| 2007-09-13 18:06 | 6.0 mwc | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -57.62, -147.30 |
| 2007-09-13 14:09 | 6.0 mwc | 107 km NW of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 53 km | -3.17, 101.52 |
| 2007-09-13 07:48 | 6.3 mwc | 202 km SSE of Sarangani, Philippines | 26 km | 3.80, 126.34 |
| 2007-09-13 01:35 | 7.0 mwc | 153 km SSW of Padang, Indonesia | 22 km | -2.13, 99.63 |
| 2007-09-13 00:30 | 6.5 mwc | Kepulauan Mentawai region, Indonesia | 29 km | -1.69, 99.67 |
| 2007-09-12 21:49 | 7.9 mwc | 87 km SW of Sungai Penuh, Indonesia | 35 km | -2.62, 100.84 |
| 2007-09-12 09:10 | 8.4 mww | 122 km SW of Bengkulu, Indonesia | 34 km | -4.44, 101.37 |
| 2007-09-09 23:49 | 6.8 mwc | 39 km WNW of Timbiquí, Colombia | 15 km | 2.97, -77.96 |
| 2007-09-06 15:51 | 6.2 mwc | 66 km SE of Yilan, Taiwan | 53 km | 24.34, 122.22 |
| 2007-09-03 14:14 | 6.2 mwc | 183 km ENE of Kuril’sk, Russia | 94 km | 45.84, 150.06 |
| 2007-09-02 00:35 | 6.3 mwc | 115 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands | 37 km | -11.77, 165.70 |
| 2007-09-01 23:05 | 7.2 mwc | 97 km S of Lata, Solomon Islands | 35 km | -11.61, 165.76 |
| 2007-09-01 17:14 | 6.1 mwc | 100 km SW of Topolobampo, Mexico | 9 km | 24.90, -109.69 |
| 2007-08-26 10:37 | 6.1 mwc | 137 km NNW of Neiafu, Tonga | 127 km | -17.46, -174.34 |
| 2007-08-20 20:42 | 6.5 mwc | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 6 km | 8.04, -39.25 |
| 2007-08-20 11:46 | 6.4 mwc | 135 km E of Pondaguitan, Philippines | 8 km | 6.13, 127.38 |
| 2007-08-18 00:52 | 6.0 mwc | 7 km NNW of Paracas, Peru | 30 km | -13.80, -76.29 |
| 2007-08-17 01:04 | 6.4 mwc | 219 km SSE of Amahai, Indonesia | 10 km | -5.26, 129.43 |
| 2007-08-16 09:35 | 6.0 mwc | 46 km S of Paracas, Peru | 35 km | -14.29, -76.21 |
| 2007-08-16 06:39 | 6.5 mwc | 31 km WSW of Malango, Solomon Islands | 15 km | -9.83, 159.46 |
| 2007-08-16 03:16 | 6.4 mwc | 46 km WSW of Santiago, Peru | 23 km | -14.28, -76.13 |
| 2007-08-15 21:40 | 8.0 mwc | 41 km SW of San Vicente de Cañete, Peru | 39 km | -13.39, -76.60 |
| 2007-08-15 18:22 | 6.5 mwc | 184 km SSW of Adak, Alaska | 9 km | 50.32, -177.55 |
| 2007-08-13 08:27 | 6.1 mwc | west of Macquarie Island | 10 km | -60.55, 153.78 |
| 2007-08-12 10:05 | 6.0 mwb | 88 km SE of Lata, Solomon Islands | 42 km | -11.38, 166.27 |
| 2007-08-08 15:05 | 7.5 mwc | 35 km NNE of Rengasdengklok, Indonesia | 280 km | -5.86, 107.42 |
| 2007-08-08 15:04 | 6.1 mb | 42 km NNW of Pamanukan, Indonesia | 291 km | -5.93, 107.68 |
| 2007-08-06 22:02 | 6.0 mwc | 136 km WNW of Nago, Japan | 18 km | 27.29, 126.84 |
| 2007-08-05 07:28 | 6.0 mwb | 73 km NW of Isangel, Vanuatu | 40 km | -19.15, 168.72 |
| 2007-08-04 12:24 | 6.1 mwc | central East Pacific Rise | 10 km | -4.80, -105.41 |
| 2007-08-02 01:21 | 6.7 mwc | 239 km WSW of Adak, Alaska | 21 km | 51.31, -179.97 |
| 2007-08-02 00:37 | 6.2 mwb | 20 km WSW of Yablochnyy, Russia | 5 km | 47.12, 141.80 |
| 2007-08-01 15:08 | 7.2 mwb | 56 km E of Luganville, Vanuatu | 120 km | -15.60, 167.68 |
| 2007-07-31 20:55 | 6.2 mwc | north of Ascension Island | 11 km | -0.16, -17.80 |
| 2007-07-27 12:46 | 6.1 mwb | 273 km SE of Isangel, Vanuatu | 10 km | -21.46, 170.94 |
| 2007-07-26 03:40 | 6.9 mwb | 140 km NNW of Tobelo, Indonesia | 25 km | 2.87, 127.46 |
| 2007-07-25 21:37 | 6.1 mwb | Nicobar Islands, India region | 15 km | 7.16, 92.52 |
| 2007-07-21 13:34 | 6.4 mwc | 19 km WSW of La Quiaca, Argentina | 290 km | -22.15, -65.78 |
| 2007-07-21 11:27 | 6.1 mwb | 55 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil | 645 km | -8.13, -71.27 |
| 2007-07-17 22:07 | 6.1 mwc | south of the Fiji Islands | 10 km | -26.30, -177.74 |
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 26, 2026 · SHA-256 54eb2b59eac4… - 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…