Country profile · USGS ComCat
Earthquakes in Ethiopia
Ethiopia ranks 45th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.
- 572
- M4+ events (since 2005)
- 19
- Major M6+ (since 1900)
- M6.5
- Strongest
- ~27
- M4+ per year
The verdict
Ethiopia has logged 572 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 19 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 6.5.
- #45
- of 215 countries by M4+ activity
- 572
- catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
- M6.5
- strongest earthquake on record
- 19
- major M6+ events since 1900
Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.
Major (M6+) earthquakes in Ethiopia by year
Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year
- 1915 1
1915: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1919 1
1919: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1928 1
1928: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1929 1
1929: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1937 1
1937: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1938
1938: 3 major (M6+) events
3
- 1942 1
1942: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1944 1
1944: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1954 1
1954: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1961
1961: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 1969
1969: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 1987
1987: 2 major (M6+) events
2
What this shows Ethiopia's most active year for major earthquakes was 1938 (3 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.
Magnitude distribution of major events
Breakdown of the 19 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Ethiopia.
M6.0-6.9
19
100.0%
Depth of major earthquakes
Hypocentral depth of the 19 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 14 km.
Shallow (<70 km)
19
100.0% of events
Intermediate (70–300 km)
0
0.0% of events
Deep (>300 km)
0
0.0% of events
Strongest earthquakes in Ethiopia
The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 8 km E of Goba, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Aug 25, 1906 |
| 6.4 | 10 km SE of Jinka, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Jun 30, 1919 |
| 6.4 | 31 km E of Turmi, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Nov 30, 1937 |
| 6.3 | 28 km SSE of Jinka, Ethiopia | 12.0 km | Oct 25, 1987 |
| 6.3 | 47 km ESE of Kemis?, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Sep 27, 1938 |
| 6.2 | 42 km NNW of Axum, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Sep 23, 1915 |
| 6.2 | 17 km NE of Dubti, Ethiopia | 12.7 km | Mar 29, 1969 |
| 6.2 | 32 km SSW of Kemis?, Ethiopia | 25.0 km | Jun 1, 1961 |
| 6.2 | 44 km N of Arba Minch, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Oct 4, 1928 |
| 6.1 | 36 km ENE of Dubti, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Apr 5, 1969 |
Significant earthquake record (19 events)
Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Ethiopia since 1900, most recent first.
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 13 km NE of Jinka, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Oct 28, 1987 |
| 6.3 | 28 km SSE of Jinka, Ethiopia | 12.0 km | Oct 25, 1987 |
| 6.1 | 36 km ENE of Dubti, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Apr 5, 1969 |
| 6.2 | 17 km NE of Dubti, Ethiopia | 12.7 km | Mar 29, 1969 |
| 6.0 | 31 km NW of Abomsa, Ethiopia | 20.0 km | Jun 2, 1961 |
| 6.2 | 32 km SSW of Kemis?, Ethiopia | 25.0 km | Jun 1, 1961 |
| 6.0 | 24 km W of G?dol?, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Jun 30, 1954 |
| 6.0 | 38 km NW of Hagere Maryam, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Sep 6, 1944 |
| 6.1 | 82 km ENE of Debre Werk’, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Nov 18, 1942 |
| 6.0 | 35 km SW of Gewan?, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Oct 23, 1938 |
| 6.0 | 28 km ESE of Debre S?na, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Oct 20, 1938 |
| 6.3 | 47 km ESE of Kemis?, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Sep 27, 1938 |
| 6.4 | 31 km E of Turmi, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Nov 30, 1937 |
| 6.0 | 34 km SSE of Asaita, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | May 18, 1929 |
| 6.2 | 44 km N of Arba Minch, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Oct 4, 1928 |
| 6.4 | 10 km SE of Jinka, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Jun 30, 1919 |
| 6.2 | 42 km NNW of Axum, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Sep 23, 1915 |
| 6.1 | 47 km SSW of Lobuni, Ethiopia | 10.0 km | Sep 16, 1913 |
| 6.5 | 8 km E of Goba, Ethiopia | 15.0 km | Aug 25, 1906 |
Countries with similar seismic activity
Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Ethiopia.
Understand the data
Frequently asked questions
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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.
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