Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in India region

India region ranks 36th 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.

Compiled by PlainQuake Editorial, Earthquake Data Editorial Team

835
M4+ events (since 2005): 29
Major M6+ (since 1900): M7.5
Strongest: ~40
M4+ per year

The verdict

India region has logged 835 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 29 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.5.

#36
of 215 countries by M4+ activity: 835
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present): M7.5
strongest earthquake on record: 29
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

1986

1
2001

1
2004

4
2005

4
2006

2
2007

2
2009

1
2010

1
2015

1
2017

1
2021

1
2025

1

What this shows India region's most active year for major earthquakes was 2004 (4 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 29 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for India region.

M7.0-7.9

6.9%

M6.0-6.9

93.1%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 29 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 23 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in India region

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

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
7.5	Nicobar Islands, India region	35.0 km	Jun 12, 2010
7.2	Nicobar Islands, India region	16.0 km	Jul 24, 2005
6.6	Nicobar Islands, India region	10.0 km	Nov 8, 2015
6.6	Nicobar Islands, India region	16.1 km	Dec 26, 2004
6.6	Nicobar Islands, India region	33.0 km	Apr 7, 1973
6.4	Andaman Islands, India region	20.0 km	Oct 17, 1922
6.3	Nicobar Islands, India region	23.7 km	Oct 25, 1970
6.3	Nicobar Islands, India region	45.0 km	Sep 15, 1964
6.3	Nicobar Islands, India region	30.0 km	Jan 24, 2005
6.2	Andaman Islands, India region	24.0 km	Dec 22, 2006

Significant earthquake record (29 events)

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

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
6.0	Nicobar Islands, India region	23.0 km	Mar 12, 2025
6.1	Nicobar Islands, India region	10.0 km	Aug 3, 2021
6.0	Nicobar Islands, India region	10.0 km	Mar 14, 2017
6.6	Nicobar Islands, India region	10.0 km	Nov 8, 2015
7.5	Nicobar Islands, India region	35.0 km	Jun 12, 2010
6.0	Nicobar Islands, India region	23.0 km	Nov 10, 2009
6.1	Nicobar Islands, India region	15.0 km	Jul 25, 2007
6.1	Nicobar Islands, India region	11.0 km	Jan 8, 2007
6.2	Andaman Islands, India region	24.0 km	Dec 22, 2006
6.0	Nicobar Islands, India region	16.0 km	Jun 21, 2006
7.2	Nicobar Islands, India region	16.0 km	Jul 24, 2005
6.3	Nicobar Islands, India region	30.0 km	Jan 24, 2005
6.1	Andaman Islands, India region	23.2 km	Jan 4, 2005
6.1	Nicobar Islands, India region	55.4 km	Jan 1, 2005
6.1	Nicobar Islands, India region	14.0 km	Dec 31, 2004
6.2	Nicobar Islands, India region	12.0 km	Dec 29, 2004
6.1	Nicobar Islands, India region	8.0 km	Dec 29, 2004
6.6	Nicobar Islands, India region	16.1 km	Dec 26, 2004
6.0	Nicobar Islands, India region	33.0 km	Mar 15, 2001
6.0	Nicobar Islands, India region	27.0 km	Jan 28, 1986
6.2	Nicobar Islands, India region	33.0 km	Oct 29, 1980
6.6	Nicobar Islands, India region	33.0 km	Apr 7, 1973
6.3	Nicobar Islands, India region	23.7 km	Oct 25, 1970
6.1	Nicobar Islands, India region	10.0 km	Jul 2, 1967
6.3	Nicobar Islands, India region	45.0 km	Sep 15, 1964
6.0	Nicobar Islands, India region	50.0 km	Jul 11, 1961
6.0	Nicobar Islands, India region	25.0 km	Dec 22, 1950
6.4	Andaman Islands, India region	20.0 km	Oct 17, 1922
6.2	Nicobar Islands, India region	15.0 km	Aug 12, 1915

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to India region.

Bolivia

832 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

Wallis and Futuna

805 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Costa Rica

715 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Panama

704 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Nepal

694 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Iceland

982 M4+ events · strongest M6.3

M6.3

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 India region? ▼

The USGS catalog records 835 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in India region since 2005, an average of about 40 per year. Separately, 29 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.

What was the strongest earthquake in India region? ▼

The strongest catalogued earthquake in India region measured magnitude 7.5. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.6 - most earthquakes are moderate.

How seismically active is India region? ▼

By catalogued M4+ activity, India region ranks 36th of 215 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 2004, with 4.

How deep are earthquakes in India region? ▼

Across the 29 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 23 km. 100% 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.

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