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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Malaysia

Malaysia ranks 117th 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.

37
M4+ events (since 2005)
5
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.1
Strongest
~2
M4+ per year

The verdict

Malaysia has logged 37 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 5 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.1.

#117
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
37
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.1
strongest earthquake on record
5
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 Malaysia by year

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

Value

What this shows Malaysia's most active year for major earthquakes was 1923 (1 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 5 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Malaysia.

M7.0-7.9

1

20.0%

M6.0-6.9

4

80.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 5 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 144 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

4

80.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

1

20.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Malaysia

The 5 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.1 57 km NNW of Kota Belud, Malaysia 629.0 km
6.5 26 km NNW of Lahad Datu, Malaysia 35.0 km
6.2 7 km SSW of Lahad Datu, Malaysia 33.0 km
6.1 10 km W of Kudat, Malaysia 15.0 km
6.0 14 km WNW of Ranau, Malaysia 10.0 km

Significant earthquake record (5 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
7.1 57 km NNW of Kota Belud, Malaysia 629.0 km
6.0 14 km WNW of Ranau, Malaysia 10.0 km
6.2 7 km SSW of Lahad Datu, Malaysia 33.0 km
6.1 10 km W of Kudat, Malaysia 15.0 km
6.5 26 km NNW of Lahad Datu, Malaysia 35.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Malaysia.

Bulgaria

36 M4+ events · strongest M5.0

M5.0

Libya

36 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Madagascar

38 M4+ events · strongest M5.7

M5.7

Bhutan

35 M4+ events · strongest M6.1

M6.1

Jamaica

39 M4+ events · strongest M7.7

M7.7

Syria

39 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

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 Malaysia? ▼
The USGS catalog records 37 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Malaysia since 2005, an average of about 2 per year. Separately, 5 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Malaysia? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Malaysia measured magnitude 7.1. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.7 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Malaysia? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Malaysia ranks 117th of 215 countries worldwide - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1923, with 1.
How deep are earthquakes in Malaysia? ▼
Across the 5 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 144 km. 80% 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.