PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Brazil

Brazil ranks 82nd of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

101
M4+ events (since 2005)
27
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.6
Strongest
~5
M4+ per year

The verdict

Brazil has logged 101 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 27 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.6.

#82
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
101
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.6
strongest earthquake on record
27
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.7 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Brazil by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Brazil's most active year for major earthquakes was 1963 (2 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2025

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 27 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Brazil.

M7.0-7.9

5

18.5%

M6.0-6.9

22

81.5%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 27 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 571 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

1

3.7% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

26

96.3% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Brazil

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.6 132 km SW of Tarauacá, Brazil 590.7 km
7.4 128 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 560.0 km
7.1 105 km E of Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil 558.1 km
7.1 69 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 593.4 km
7.0 124 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 600.4 km
6.9 108 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 534.3 km
6.8 90 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 570.4 km
6.8 23 km WSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 646.0 km
6.7 125 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 602.8 km
6.7 104 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 593.8 km

Significant earthquake record (27 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Brazil since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.5 70 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 621.1 km
6.6 123 km NW of Tarauacá, Brazil 607.0 km
6.5 107 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 622.7 km
6.8 90 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 570.4 km
6.7 125 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 602.8 km
6.5 87 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 581.2 km
6.1 55 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 644.9 km
7.1 105 km E of Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil 558.1 km
6.0 91 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 559.9 km
6.9 108 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 534.3 km
6.1 115 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 602.6 km
6.1 148 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 591.3 km
6.1 86 km WSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 572.8 km
7.1 69 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil 593.4 km
6.3 127 km ENE of Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil 608.5 km
6.6 125 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 599.9 km
6.2 158 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 598.6 km
6.1 129 km NE of Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil 563.7 km
6.4 129 km NE of Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil 567.5 km
7.0 124 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 600.4 km
6.7 104 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 593.8 km
6.3 100 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 593.9 km
7.6 132 km SW of Tarauacá, Brazil 590.7 km
6.3 207 km WSW of Sinop, Brazil 15.0 km
6.8 23 km WSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 646.0 km
6.7 21 km WSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 620.0 km
7.4 128 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 560.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Brazil.

Uzbekistan

101 M4+ events · strongest M5.7

M5.7

Cyprus

97 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Cayman Islands

106 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Cuba

96 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

Eritrea

93 M4+ events · strongest M5.6

M5.6

New Zealand region

93 M4+ events · strongest M7.4

M7.4

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Brazil? ▼
The USGS catalog records 101 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Brazil since 2005, an average of about 5 per year. Separately, 27 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Brazil? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Brazil measured magnitude 7.6. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.7 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Brazil? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Brazil ranks 82nd of 215 countries worldwide - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1963, with 2.
How deep are earthquakes in Brazil? ▼
Across the 27 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 571 km. 4% 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 this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is an informational reference for informational purposes only, not an emergency or early-warning service, and not professional engineering or safety advice. For official alerts and guidance, consult the USGS and your local emergency authorities. See our full disclaimer.