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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-01-27 16:56 | 6.4 mwc | Prince Edward Islands region | 10 km | -46.05, 35.06 |
| 2003-01-27 04:26 | 6.1 mwc | 2 km NW of Pulumer, Turkey | 10 km | 39.50, 39.88 |
| 2003-01-22 01:06 | 7.6 mwb | 16 km SSW of Cuyutlán, Mexico | 24 km | 18.77, -104.10 |
| 2003-01-21 01:46 | 6.5 mwc | 33 km S of Puerto San José, Guatemala | 24 km | 13.63, -90.77 |
| 2003-01-20 07:43 | 7.3 mwc | 126 km W of Kirakira, Solomon Islands | 33 km | -10.49, 160.77 |
| 2003-01-15 23:53 | 6.3 mwb | off the coast of Oregon | 10 km | 44.28, -129.02 |
| 2003-01-10 12:11 | 6.7 mwb | 191 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 72 km | -5.31, 153.70 |
| 2003-01-09 01:50 | 6.0 mwc | 199 km NW of Nuku‘alofa, Tonga | 10 km | -19.66, -176.30 |
| 2003-01-06 22:43 | 6.0 mwb | 25 km WSW of Bolitoc, Philippines | 10 km | 15.65, 119.66 |
| 2003-01-04 04:15 | 6.5 mwc | 262 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga | 378 km | -20.57, -177.66 |
| 2002-12-30 03:49 | 6.3 mwc | 0 km NNW of Tabina, Philippines | 10 km | 7.47, 123.41 |
| 2002-12-23 12:46 | 6.0 mwb | 63 km NNE of Savannah Bight, Honduras | 33 km | 16.96, -85.58 |
| 2002-12-20 13:14 | 6.3 mwc | 137 km SSE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea | 33 km | -3.08, 147.94 |
| 2002-12-18 13:12 | 6.1 mwc | South Sandwich Islands region | 10 km | -57.09, -24.98 |
| 2002-12-17 03:32 | 6.2 mwc | South Sandwich Islands region | 10 km | -56.95, -24.82 |
| 2002-12-12 07:30 | 6.7 mwb | New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea | 34 km | -4.79, 153.28 |
| 2002-12-11 02:49 | 6.3 mwb | 65 km SW of Nabire, Indonesia | 10 km | -3.81, 135.12 |
| 2002-12-10 03:27 | 6.1 mwb | south of the Fiji Islands | 531 km | -24.14, 179.24 |
| 2002-12-10 00:28 | 6.0 mwb | southern East Pacific Rise | 10 km | -50.03, -114.12 |
| 2002-11-25 23:48 | 6.1 mwc | 93 km SSE of Atka, Alaska | 21 km | 51.46, -173.54 |
| 2002-11-20 20:32 | 6.3 mwc | 58 km SSE of Gilgit, Pakistan | 33 km | 35.41, 74.52 |
| 2002-11-17 03:53 | 7.3 mwc | 262 km E of Dolinsk, Russia | 459 km | 47.82, 146.21 |
| 2002-11-15 18:58 | 6.6 mwc | South Georgia Island region | 10 km | -56.05, -36.40 |
| 2002-11-12 00:46 | 6.2 mwc | South Sandwich Islands region | 120 km | -56.55, -27.54 |
| 2002-11-08 23:14 | 6.0 mwc | 40 km SSW of La Gomera, Guatemala | 33 km | 13.74, -91.19 |
| 2002-11-07 14:14 | 6.6 mwc | 289 km WSW of Adak, Alaska | 33 km | 51.20, 179.33 |
| 2002-11-03 21:12 | 7.9 mw | 2002 Denali Fault, Alaska Earthquake | 4 km | 63.51, -147.45 |
| 2002-11-03 02:37 | 6.4 mwc | 30 km SE of ?funato, Japan | 39 km | 38.89, 141.98 |
| 2002-11-02 08:46 | 6.3 mwc | 52 km N of Sinabang, Indonesia | 27 km | 2.95, 96.39 |
| 2002-11-02 00:26 | 7.4 mwb | 50 km NW of Sinabang, Indonesia | 30 km | 2.82, 96.08 |
| 2002-10-31 00:35 | 6.1 mwc | 217 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea | 10 km | -3.44, 148.64 |
| 2002-10-24 04:08 | 6.2 mwc | 34 km SW of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo | 11 km | -1.88, 29.00 |
| 2002-10-23 09:27 | 6.6 mw | 53 km ENE of Cantwell, Alaska | 4 km | 63.51, -147.91 |
| 2002-10-22 09:39 | 6.2 mwc | Fiji region | 549 km | -20.63, -178.39 |
| 2002-10-19 10:09 | 6.3 mwc | 194 km ESE of Kuril’sk, Russia | 33 km | 44.30, 149.96 |
| 2002-10-18 22:43 | 6.0 mwc | 123 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia | 33 km | -3.67, 140.31 |
| 2002-10-18 09:16 | 6.1 mwc | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | 10 km | -57.18, -142.75 |
| 2002-10-17 15:52 | 6.3 mwc | 119 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia | 33 km | -3.60, 140.23 |
| 2002-10-17 02:23 | 6.2 mwc | Fiji region | 628 km | -19.84, -178.40 |
| 2002-10-16 12:13 | 6.0 mwb | Tonga | 33 km | -15.68, -173.05 |
| 2002-10-16 08:12 | 6.2 mwc | 76 km NE of Ozernovskiy, Russia | 102 km | 51.95, 157.32 |
| 2002-10-14 12:12 | 6.1 mwc | 87 km E of Mutsu, Japan | 61 km | 41.17, 142.25 |
| 2002-10-13 18:55 | 6.1 mwb | 166 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 10 km | -14.60, -175.42 |
| 2002-10-12 21:43 | 6.1 mwb | 155 km WSW of Palauig, Philippines | 33 km | 15.10, 118.50 |
| 2002-10-12 18:09 | 6.9 mwc | 108 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil | 534 km | -8.30, -71.74 |
| 2002-10-10 19:19 | 6.0 mwc | 68 km S of Manokwari, Indonesia | 10 km | -1.48, 134.11 |
| 2002-10-10 10:29 | 6.0 mb | 61 km SSW of Manokwari, Indonesia | 10 km | -1.40, 133.93 |
| 2002-10-10 10:28 | 6.7 ms | 72 km S of Manokwari, Indonesia | 10 km | -1.51, 133.97 |
| 2002-10-10 08:50 | 7.6 mwc | 102 km SSE of Manokwari, Indonesia | 10 km | -1.76, 134.30 |
| 2002-10-07 23:23 | 6.0 mwb | southeast Indian Ridge | 10 km | -42.04, 88.38 |
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…