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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Bahamas

Bahamas has catalogued 3 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 162nd of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M4.5.

Bahamas ranks 162nd of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity, averaging about 0 M4+ events a year alongside 0 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900.

3
M4+ events (since 2005)
0
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M4.5
Strongest
~0
M4+ per year

The verdict

Bahamas is relatively quiet seismically compared to most places tracked here, with 3 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 0 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 4.5.

N/A
no yearly breakdown available
N/A
average recorded event depth
0%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.2 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Cabo Verde sits immediately above at 4 events and Central African Republic sits immediately below at 2.

Where Bahamas sits in the catalog

Rank 162nd of 187 tracked countries (12th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Cabo Verde sits immediately above at 4 events and Central African Republic sits immediately below at 2.

Same M4+ count, broken by peak magnitude

4 tracked countries share Bahamas's exact count of 3 M4+ events since 2005. Among that cohort, Bahamas ranks 3rd of 4 by strongest recorded magnitude (M4.5).

Country M4+ count Strongest
French Guiana 3 M5.0
Equatorial Guinea 3 M4.6
Bahamas (this page) 3 M4.5
Palestinian Territory 3 M4.5
0%100%0%
Share of Bahamas's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

0 of 3 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Bahamas?
The USGS catalog records 3 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Bahamas since 2005, an average of about 0 per year. Separately, 0 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Bahamas?
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Bahamas measured magnitude 4.5. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.2 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Bahamas?
By catalogued M4+ activity, Bahamas ranks 162nd of 187 countries worldwide - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity.
How deep are earthquakes in Bahamas?
Across the 0 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is N/A km. 0% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About Bahamas's figures

3 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M4.5 · average M4.2 · 0 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Feb 5, 2025. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What Bahamas's numbers mean

Bahamas ranks 162nd of 187 countries tracked - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity.

  • About 0 M4+ earthquakes strike Bahamas per year on average. See the full country ranking
  • 0% of Bahamas's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M4.5. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.