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 4.6
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 · 10/27/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,191
1900 → 2026-10-27
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/27/26
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 · 10/27/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 4.6
2026-10-27 11:01 UTC · 5 km ENE of Tierra y Libertad, Mexico
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/27/26
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 · 10/27/26
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 · 10/27/26
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 · 10/27/26
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 · 10/27/26
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 · 10/27/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-03-21 11:43 | 6.4 mwc | 59 km ESE of Apolinario Saravia, Argentina | 570 km | -24.72, -63.51 |
| 2005-03-21 11:23 | 6.9 mwb | 67 km ENE of Joaquín V. González, Argentina | 579 km | -24.98, -63.47 |
| 2005-03-20 00:53 | 6.6 mwc | 28 km NNW of Maebaru-ch??, Japan | 10 km | 33.81, 130.13 |
| 2005-03-19 16:34 | 6.3 mwc | Fiji region | 599 km | -21.89, -179.55 |
| 2005-03-19 14:02 | 6.1 mwc | 65 km S of Pangai, Tonga | 18 km | -20.41, -174.34 |
| 2005-03-17 12:37 | 6.1 mwb | 10 km NE of San Bartolo, Guatemala | 197 km | 15.14, -91.38 |
| 2005-03-13 02:31 | 6.0 mwb | 119 km E of Iranshahr, Iran | 54 km | 27.10, 61.89 |
| 2005-03-06 04:21 | 6.3 mwc | north of Severnaya Zemlya | 10 km | 84.95, 99.39 |
| 2005-03-06 03:39 | 6.1 mwb | 139 km ESE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 10 km | -11.04, 163.04 |
| 2005-03-02 09:42 | 7.1 mwb | Banda Sea | 202 km | -6.53, 129.93 |
| 2005-02-26 11:56 | 6.8 mwb | 99 km WNW of Sinabang, Indonesia | 36 km | 2.91, 95.59 |
| 2005-02-23 10:33 | 6.0 mwc | 96 km SE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -6.24, 150.66 |
| 2005-02-22 01:25 | 6.4 mwc | 24 km ESE of Zarand, Iran | 14 km | 30.75, 56.82 |
| 2005-02-18 23:04 | 6.5 mwb | 81 km SSW of Katabu, Indonesia | 10 km | -5.56, 122.13 |
| 2005-02-16 19:27 | 6.6 mwc | southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | -36.32, -16.56 |
| 2005-02-15 13:42 | 6.5 mwc | Pulau-Pulau Talaud, Indonesia | 40 km | 4.76, 126.42 |
| 2005-02-14 22:38 | 6.1 mwc | 92 km NW of Aksu, China | 22 km | 41.73, 79.44 |
| 2005-02-10 15:53 | 6.3 mwb | 183 km ESE of Vao, New Caledonia | 9 km | -23.10, 169.22 |
| 2005-02-09 17:46 | 6.3 mwb | Bonin Islands, Japan region | 24 km | 26.09, 144.00 |
| 2005-02-09 12:27 | 6.0 mwb | 85 km SSW of Banda Aceh, Indonesia | 45 km | 4.80, 95.12 |
| 2005-02-08 13:48 | 6.7 mwb | 52 km SW of Sola, Vanuatu | 206 km | -14.25, 167.26 |
| 2005-02-07 19:02 | 6.1 mwb | 103 km E of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 37 km | -4.52, 153.19 |
| 2005-02-05 11:23 | 7.1 mwc | 138 km SW of Palimbang, Philippines | 525 km | 5.29, 123.34 |
| 2005-02-05 03:03 | 6.0 mwc | 156 km W of Sinabang, Indonesia | 30 km | 2.26, 94.99 |
| 2005-02-05 02:34 | 6.6 mwc | 89 km N of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands | 143 km | 16.01, 145.87 |
| 2005-02-02 01:30 | 6.3 mwc | 63 km NNW of Yigo Village, Guam | 159 km | 14.08, 144.72 |
| 2005-01-28 14:46 | 6.2 mwb | 51 km WSW of Manta, Ecuador | 10 km | -1.09, -81.16 |
| 2005-01-28 08:26 | 6.1 mwb | 90 km WSW of Manta, Ecuador | 10 km | -1.18, -81.50 |
| 2005-01-26 21:00 | 6.2 mwb | 199 km W of Sinabang, Indonesia | 22 km | 2.70, 94.60 |
| 2005-01-24 22:23 | 6.1 mwb | 23 km W of Jipijapa, Ecuador | 17 km | -1.36, -80.78 |
| 2005-01-24 03:16 | 6.3 mwb | Nicobar Islands, India region | 30 km | 7.33, 92.48 |
| 2005-01-23 19:10 | 6.3 mwc | 32 km SSE of Palu, Indonesia | 11 km | -1.20, 119.93 |
| 2005-01-22 19:30 | 6.4 mwb | 47 km NNW of Buala, Solomon Islands | 29 km | -7.73, 159.48 |
| 2005-01-21 12:45 | 6.0 mwb | 21 km WSW of Montecristi, Ecuador | 10 km | -1.13, -80.83 |
| 2005-01-19 05:11 | 6.6 mwc | 161 km SE of Katsuura, Japan | 28 km | 34.06, 141.49 |
| 2005-01-18 13:09 | 6.3 mwb | 40 km E of Kushiro, Japan | 42 km | 42.95, 144.87 |
| 2005-01-17 09:50 | 6.1 mwb | 136 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 12 km | 10.99, 140.68 |
| 2005-01-16 19:17 | 6.6 mwb | 133 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 25 km | 10.93, 140.84 |
| 2005-01-16 07:25 | 6.2 mwb | south of the Fiji Islands | 16 km | -25.53, -176.30 |
| 2005-01-15 12:47 | 6.0 mwc | 66 km W of Labuan, Indonesia | 59 km | -6.46, 105.24 |
| 2005-01-14 07:33 | 6.1 mwb | 51 km ENE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -4.24, 152.72 |
| 2005-01-12 07:40 | 6.8 mwb | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | -0.88, -21.19 |
| 2005-01-09 21:12 | 6.1 mwb | 72 km SSW of Banda Aceh, Indonesia | 40 km | 4.93, 95.11 |
| 2005-01-08 17:45 | 6.0 mwb | South Sandwich Islands region | 10 km | -55.30, -27.96 |
| 2005-01-04 08:13 | 6.1 mwb | Andaman Islands, India region | 23 km | 10.67, 92.36 |
| 2005-01-03 16:59 | 6.1 mwb | north of Macquarie Island | 10 km | -50.66, 161.87 |
| 2005-01-02 14:35 | 6.4 mwc | 284 km W of Sabang, Indonesia | 30 km | 6.36, 92.79 |
| 2005-01-01 18:08 | 6.1 mwb | Nicobar Islands, India region | 55 km | 7.34, 94.46 |
| 2005-01-01 05:25 | 6.7 mwc | off the west coast of northern Sumatra | 12 km | 5.10, 92.30 |
| 2004-12-31 11:04 | 6.0 mwb | 268 km W of Sabang, Indonesia | 11 km | 6.20, 92.91 |
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 27, 2026 · SHA-256 2a082d988a24… - 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…