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 5.0
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 · 10/28/26
Positions and magnitudes from the USGS catalogue; heights exaggerated. Base map: local NASA Blue Marble.
Catalogued earthquakes M ≥ 4.5
312,222
1900 → 2026-10-28
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/28/26
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 · 10/28/26
Current · provisional
Latest catalogued earthquake
M 5.0
2026-10-28 11:47 UTC · Reykjanes Ridge
USGS ComCat earthquakes M ≥ 4.5 (FDSN event service) · U.S. Government work, public domain; cite USGS ANSS ComCat · 10/28/26
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 · 10/28/26
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 · 10/28/26
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 · 10/28/26
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 · 10/28/26
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 · 10/28/26
| Date (UTC) | M | Place | Depth | Lat., lon. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-07-12 13:46 | 6.5 mwb | southeast of the Loyalty Islands | 11 km | -23.26, 170.86 |
| 1995-07-11 19:46 | 6.8 mw | 158 km W of Jinghong, China | 13 km | 21.97, 99.20 |
| 1995-07-08 15:15 | 6.0 mwb | 143 km S of False Pass, Alaska | 21 km | 53.58, -163.74 |
| 1995-07-08 03:42 | 6.0 mwb | 121 km E of Miyako, Japan | 11 km | 39.68, 143.35 |
| 1995-07-07 19:15 | 6.0 mw | 62 km SSE of Toba, Japan | 333 km | 33.97, 137.13 |
| 1995-07-03 19:56 | 6.1 mb | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 54 km | -29.12, -177.63 |
| 1995-07-03 17:50 | 7.2 mwb | Kermadec Islands, New Zealand | 35 km | -29.21, -177.59 |
| 1995-06-30 09:58 | 6.2 mw | 60 km N of La Paz, Mexico | 10 km | 24.69, -110.23 |
| 1995-06-29 10:24 | 6.6 mw | 0 km ESE of Isangel, Vanuatu | 139 km | -19.54, 169.29 |
| 1995-06-29 05:45 | 6.0 mwb | 241 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia | 64 km | 48.79, 154.45 |
| 1995-06-27 08:09 | 6.0 mw | 61 km SW of George Town, Cayman Islands | 10 km | 18.84, -81.72 |
| 1995-06-25 04:59 | 6.0 mw | 18 km SSW of Yilan, Taiwan | 52 km | 24.60, 121.70 |
| 1995-06-25 00:10 | 6.2 mw | 90 km SSW of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea | 32 km | -3.32, 150.46 |
| 1995-06-24 04:58 | 6.8 mw | 189 km ENE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea | 386 km | -3.96, 153.93 |
| 1995-06-21 13:28 | 6.7 mwb | Balleny Islands region | 10 km | -61.67, 154.77 |
| 1995-06-14 22:15 | 6.5 mw | 8 km WNW of Galaxídhion, Greece | 14 km | 38.40, 22.28 |
| 1995-06-14 09:11 | 6.6 mw | 120 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua | 25 km | 12.13, -88.36 |
| 1995-05-31 14:08 | 6.4 mwb | 236 km WSW of La Cruz de Loreto, Mexico | 33 km | 18.96, -107.42 |
| 1995-05-29 05:29 | 6.3 mwb | 203 km WNW of Lata, Solomon Islands | 26 km | -10.25, 164.00 |
| 1995-05-27 11:03 | 7.1 mwb | 85 km S of Tungor, Russia | 11 km | 52.63, 142.83 |
| 1995-05-26 01:11 | 6.5 mw | Owen Fracture Zone region | 62 km | 12.12, 57.94 |
| 1995-05-23 20:10 | 6.8 mw | southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 10 km | -55.94, -3.36 |
| 1995-05-22 02:02 | 6.1 mw | 135 km ENE of Alotau, Papua New Guinea | 30 km | -9.66, 151.51 |
| 1995-05-22 01:45 | 6.3 mwb | 258 km E of Vao, New Caledonia | 19 km | -22.80, 170.01 |
| 1995-05-17 22:06 | 6.8 mw | central Mid-Atlantic Ridge | 12 km | -0.89, -22.00 |
| 1995-05-17 09:23 | 6.5 mw | 271 km E of Vao, New Caledonia | 20 km | -23.03, 170.11 |
| 1995-05-16 19:48 | 6.1 ms | 28 km WSW of Nyaunglebin, Myanmar | 11 km | 17.90, 96.46 |
| 1995-05-16 18:12 | 7.7 mw | 249 km E of Vao, New Caledonia | 20 km | -23.01, 169.90 |
| 1995-05-15 02:05 | 6.1 mb | 152 km S of Turpan, China | 0 km | 41.60, 88.82 |
| 1995-05-14 09:33 | 6.9 mw | 27 km NNW of Maubara, Timor Leste | 11 km | -8.38, 125.13 |
| 1995-05-13 06:47 | 6.6 mw | 10 km W of Aianí, Greece | 14 km | 40.15, 21.70 |
| 1995-05-08 16:08 | 6.4 mw | 40 km ENE of Hernani, Philippines | 12 km | 11.46, 125.96 |
| 1995-05-07 20:38 | 6.0 mw | 82 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga | 21 km | -15.42, -173.27 |
| 1995-05-05 23:59 | 6.4 mwb | 109 km SE of Phek, India | 118 km | 24.99, 95.29 |
| 1995-05-05 02:39 | 6.1 ms | 12 km N of Cabatuan, Philippines | 33 km | 12.64, 125.24 |
| 1995-05-05 01:53 | 7.1 mw | 14 km NE of Cabatuan, Philippines | 16 km | 12.63, 125.30 |
| 1995-05-04 00:18 | 6.1 mwb | 55 km ENE of Tobelo, Indonesia | 23 km | 1.89, 128.48 |
| 1995-05-02 21:52 | 6.2 mw | west of Macquarie Island | 10 km | -60.43, 154.04 |
| 1995-05-02 04:06 | 6.7 mw | 64 km WSW of Alianza Cristiana, Peru | 97 km | -3.79, -76.92 |
| 1995-04-29 07:43 | 6.1 mwb | 57 km E of Sulat, Philippines | 15 km | 11.85, 125.98 |
| 1995-04-28 15:08 | 6.2 mw | 113 km ENE of Shikotan, Russia | 35 km | 44.09, 148.07 |
| 1995-04-28 14:30 | 6.9 mwb | 107 km ENE of Shikotan, Russia | 29 km | 44.07, 148.00 |
| 1995-04-27 10:44 | 6.2 mw | off the coast of Ecuador | 20 km | 1.30, -85.03 |
| 1995-04-25 04:15 | 6.0 mwb | 86 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea | 22 km | -5.90, 147.42 |
| 1995-04-23 04:38 | 6.1 mw | 49 km SW of Palimbang, Philippines | 531 km | 5.95, 123.82 |
| 1995-04-23 03:08 | 6.8 mw | 10 km E of Gamay, Philippines | 24 km | 12.39, 125.40 |
| 1995-04-23 00:55 | 6.5 mw | 260 km WSW of Adak, Alaska | 17 km | 51.33, 179.71 |
| 1995-04-21 03:17 | 6.8 mw | 47 km E of Dapdap, Philippines | 27 km | 12.05, 125.92 |
| 1995-04-20 22:34 | 7.2 mw | 10 km E of Dapdap, Philippines | 21 km | 12.06, 125.58 |
| 1995-04-20 22:30 | 6.8 mw | 14 km ESE of Can-Avid, Philippines | 17 km | 11.92, 125.56 |
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 28, 2026 · SHA-256 5570a63d6fc4… - 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…