Earthquakes Worldwide
Real-time seismic activity across the planet on a rotating 3D globe, from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): magnitude, depth, PAGER impact and tsunami alerts.
Legend & sources
Seismic data © U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) — Earthquake Hazards Program, public domain. PAGER impact and tsunami flag are computed and published by the USGS. 3D globe © MapLibre, satellite imagery © Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics.
The 4 strongest earthquakes ever recorded
Historical record, independent of the filters above — instrumentally measured magnitudes
The strongest earthquake ever instrumentally recorded. It triggered a tsunami that crossed the entire Pacific Ocean.
Wikipedia →The strongest earthquake ever recorded in North America, known as the "Good Friday earthquake".
Wikipedia →Triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami, one of the deadliest natural disasters in history (about 230,000 victims).
Wikipedia →Triggered a devastating tsunami on Japan's northeast coast and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.
Wikipedia →By magnitude
Number of events per magnitude band
By depth
Shallow quakes are usually the most damaging
Timeline
Top countries / regions
Areas with the most events in the selected window
| Time (local) | M | Location | Depth | Flags |
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FAQ — Earthquakes, USGS & Tsunami
Where does the data come from?
From the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, via its public FDSN GeoJSON web service. The data is in the public domain and updates roughly every minute; each event links to its official USGS page.
What does the tsunami flag mean?
The USGS sets a tsunami flag on events located where a tsunami could be generated (large, shallow, offshore earthquakes). It is an indicator, not an official warning: for evacuation notices always rely on the NOAA/U.S. Tsunami Warning System (tsunami.gov) and your local authorities.
What is the PAGER impact level?
PAGER (Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response) is a USGS system estimating the human and economic impact of an earthquake with a colour code: green (little/none), yellow, orange, red (potentially catastrophic).
Why does the same earthquake change magnitude?
The first values are automatic and preliminary; seismologists revise magnitude, depth and location in the following hours. This page shows the USGS catalog as published, without changes.
What is the “Big One”?
The “Big One” is the popular nickname for a hypothetical, very high magnitude earthquake expected sooner or later along a major fault under long-term stress, capable of causing catastrophic damage. It is most commonly used for the San Andreas Fault in California (USA) and for the Nankai Trough megathrust in Japan, but is applied informally to other seismically hazardous areas too. It is not a scientific prediction with a date: seismology cannot forecast exactly when or where a specific earthquake will strike, only estimate long-term probabilities.
Do you also have Italy?
Yes — Italy has its own dedicated page based on INGV data. Go to Italy earthquakes →