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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-10-23 06:56 | 6.6 mwc | 8 km SSW of Ojiya, Japan | 16 km | 37.23, 138.78 |
| 2004-10-20 16:32 | 6.1 mwc | 102 km W of Sola, Vanuatu | 60 km | -14.03, 166.61 |
| 2004-10-15 02:08 | 6.7 mwb | 31 km WNW of Yonakuni, Japan | 94 km | 24.53, 122.69 |
| 2004-10-09 19:26 | 7.0 mwc | 43 km SSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua | 35 km | 11.42, -86.66 |
| 2004-10-08 12:36 | 6.5 mwb | 9 km W of Talisay, Philippines | 105 km | 13.92, 120.53 |
| 2004-10-08 06:27 | 6.8 mwb | 60 km SSE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 36 km | -10.95, 162.16 |
| 2004-10-06 20:30 | 6.2 mwc | 45 km ENE of Manokwari, Indonesia | 10 km | -0.67, 134.43 |
| 2004-10-04 17:20 | 6.0 mwc | 152 km ESE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands | 7 km | 14.55, 146.99 |
| 2004-09-28 13:29 | 6.4 mwc | south of Africa | 10 km | -52.52, 28.02 |
| 2004-09-19 18:26 | 6.2 mwc | 91 km SE of Attu Station, Alaska | 25 km | 52.20, 174.03 |
| 2004-09-15 17:10 | 6.0 mwb | 24 km WNW of Looc, Philippines | 115 km | 14.22, 120.41 |
| 2004-09-13 01:00 | 6.1 mwb | east of the Kuril Islands | 8 km | 44.00, 151.41 |
| 2004-09-11 19:52 | 6.1 mwb | South Sandwich Islands region | 64 km | -57.98, -25.34 |
| 2004-09-09 14:33 | 6.0 mwb | 170 km S of George Town, Cayman Islands | 25 km | 17.76, -81.55 |
| 2004-09-08 12:58 | 6.1 mwb | 130 km ESE of Shing?, Japan | 21 km | 33.14, 137.20 |
| 2004-09-07 09:53 | 6.4 mwb | 12 km SSW of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, Argentina | 22 km | -28.57, -65.84 |
| 2004-09-06 21:29 | 6.6 mwc | 129 km ESE of Shing?, Japan | 10 km | 33.20, 137.23 |
| 2004-09-06 10:42 | 6.9 mwb | South Sandwich Islands region | 10 km | -55.37, -28.98 |
| 2004-09-05 12:57 | 6.5 mw | 119 km ESE of Shing?, Japan | 15 km | 33.20, 137.10 |
| 2004-09-05 12:57 | 7.4 mwb | 118 km ESE of Shing?, Japan | 10 km | 33.18, 137.07 |
| 2004-09-05 08:07 | 7.2 mwc | 94 km SE of Shing?, Japan | 14 km | 33.07, 136.62 |
| 2004-09-03 17:04 | 6.2 mwb | 91 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga | 10 km | -15.25, -173.34 |
| 2004-08-28 11:41 | 6.5 mwb | 67 km ESE of Teno, Chile | 5 km | -35.17, -70.52 |
| 2004-08-09 23:47 | 6.0 mwb | 46 km S of Jurm, Afghanistan | 207 km | 36.44, 70.80 |
| 2004-08-07 07:30 | 6.0 mwb | 218 km SE of Nikolski, Alaska | 8 km | 51.75, -166.31 |
| 2004-08-01 17:03 | 6.0 mwb | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -63.56, -166.67 |
| 2004-07-28 01:56 | 6.5 mwc | 117 km WNW of Manokwari, Indonesia | 13 km | -0.44, 133.09 |
| 2004-07-25 12:35 | 7.3 mwb | 100 km SSE of Jambi City, Indonesia | 582 km | -2.43, 103.98 |
| 2004-07-22 07:45 | 6.1 mwb | 91 km E of Nago, Japan | 21 km | 26.49, 128.89 |
| 2004-07-19 06:01 | 6.4 mwb | 62 km SW of Vernon, Canada | 24 km | 49.62, -126.97 |
| 2004-07-16 21:58 | 6.2 mwc | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -65.65, -179.57 |
| 2004-07-15 02:27 | 7.1 mwc | 208 km ENE of Levuka, Fiji | 566 km | -17.66, -178.76 |
| 2004-07-11 21:46 | 6.1 mwb | South Pacific Ocean | 12 km | -20.25, -126.93 |
| 2004-07-11 21:08 | 6.2 mwb | 213 km NE of Jumla, Nepal | 13 km | 30.69, 83.67 |
| 2004-07-08 17:54 | 6.0 mwb | southern East Pacific Rise | 10 km | -25.06, -115.96 |
| 2004-07-08 08:30 | 6.4 mwb | Kuril Islands | 129 km | 47.20, 151.30 |
| 2004-07-01 02:39 | 6.2 mwc | Auckland Islands, New Zealand region | 10 km | -49.58, 163.67 |
| 2004-06-30 21:37 | 6.3 mwb | 58 km S of Tomohon, Indonesia | 91 km | 0.80, 124.73 |
| 2004-06-29 05:01 | 6.3 mwc | 129 km SSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua | 9 km | 10.74, -87.04 |
| 2004-06-28 07:49 | 6.8 mw | 98 km WSW of Craig, Alaska | 20 km | 55.07, -134.53 |
| 2004-06-25 00:35 | 6.1 mwb | 289 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia | 71 km | -6.71, 130.38 |
| 2004-06-15 09:16 | 6.1 mwb | 15 km S of Carahue, Chile | 38 km | -38.85, -73.16 |
| 2004-06-10 13:19 | 6.9 mwb | 24 km ENE of Atlasovo, Russia | 189 km | 55.68, 160.00 |
| 2004-06-09 20:52 | 6.4 mwc | western Indian-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -51.60, 139.62 |
| 2004-06-02 06:50 | 6.2 mwb | south of the Kermadec Islands | 43 km | -32.88, -179.45 |
| 2004-05-29 18:56 | 6.5 mwb | 140 km SE of Katsuura, Japan | 16 km | 34.25, 141.41 |
| 2004-05-28 10:38 | 6.3 mwc | 41 km SSE of Nowshahr, Iran | 17 km | 36.29, 51.61 |
| 2004-05-19 05:04 | 6.2 mwc | 107 km NE of Hengchun, Taiwan | 20 km | 22.66, 121.50 |
| 2004-05-13 07:58 | 6.4 mwc | 111 km S of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -3.58, 150.73 |
| 2004-05-11 06:28 | 6.1 mwb | 181 km SW of Sibolga, Indonesia | 21 km | 0.42, 97.82 |
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…