Country profile · USGS ComCat
Earthquakes in Micronesia
Micronesia has catalogued 678 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 40th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.0.
Micronesia ranks 40th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country, averaging about 32 M4+ events a year alongside 37 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1912 to 2024, peaking in 2005.
- 678
- M4+ events (since 2005)
- 37
- Major M6+ (since 1900)
- M7.0
- Strongest
- ~32
- M4+ per year
The verdict
Micronesia is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 678 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 37 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.0.
- 2005
- busiest year (3 major events)
- 20 km
- average recorded event depth
- 100%
- of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)
Average catalogued magnitude is 4.7 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Nepal sits immediately above at 696 events and Kyrgyzstan sits immediately below at 628.
Catalog event strip
Event tape MICRONESIA · Micronesia M4+ · 40th/187
Micronesia · 678 M4+ · max M7.0 · 37 M6+
- BUSY 678
- SHAL 40th/187
- PCT M7.0
- VS-PEER 37
- COMCAT near Nepal
- TAPE 100% shallow
Stamps derive from this country's USGS ComCat row (M4+ book, rank, peak magnitude, M6+ record, ladder neighbour, depth/peak year), not a hazard forecast. PlainQuake is informational only - not professional advice and not a substitute for official USGS guidance. See our disclaimer. Verify with USGS ComCat → · Read with methodology → · How earthquakes are measured → · Reading earthquake data → · All country catalog rows → · Countries ranked →
Observed impact record
What ComCat observed after earthquakes in Micronesia
USGS recorded Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) for 6 events in this catalogued record; their average observed intensity was MMI 4.5. These are only events with an observation, not an estimate of future shaking or a safety rating.
- MMI observations
- 6
- Average observed MMI
- 4.5
- PAGER alerts / tsunami flags
- 6 / 3
Source: USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) GeoJSON impact fields. Missing MMI, alert, and tsunami values remain unreported rather than being treated as zero.
Where Micronesia sits in the catalog
Rank 40th of 187 tracked countries (79th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Nepal sits immediately above at 696 events and Kyrgyzstan sits immediately below at 628.
- Nepal - next more active (696 M4+)
- Kyrgyzstan - next less active (628 M4+)
Micronesia's M4+ count vs. every tracked country
Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat
678 Top 21% higher than 79% of 187 countries
Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present
Major (M6+) earthquakes in Micronesia by year
Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year
- 1969 1
1969: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1983
1983: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 1985
1985: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 1993 1
1993: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2000 1
2000: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2002
2002: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 2005
2005: 3 major (M6+) events
3
- 2010
2010: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 2016 1
2016: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2017
2017: 3 major (M6+) events
3
- 2020 1
2020: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2024 1
2024: 1 major (M6+) events
1
What this shows Micronesia's most active year for major earthquakes was 2005 (3 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.
11 of 678 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.
Magnitude distribution of major events
Breakdown of the 37 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Micronesia.
M7.0-7.9
1
2.7%
M6.0-6.9
36
97.3%
Depth of major earthquakes
Hypocentral depth of the 37 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 20 km.
Shallow (<70 km)
37
100.0% of events
Intermediate (70–300 km)
0
0.0% of events
Deep (>300 km)
0
0.0% of events
Strongest earthquakes in Micronesia
The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.0 | 199 km NNW of Fais, Micronesia | 40.0 km | Jun 7, 1966 |
| 6.9 | 32 km SSE of Fais, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Jun 18, 1942 |
| 6.8 | 281 km S of Colonia, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Oct 31, 1912 |
| 6.8 | 223 km SSW of Colonia, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Apr 12, 1936 |
| 6.6 | 294 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 13.0 km | Aug 14, 2010 |
| 6.6 | 133 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 24.9 km | Jan 16, 2005 |
| 6.5 | 96 km ENE of Fais, Micronesia | 25.0 km | Mar 15, 1943 |
| 6.4 | 160 km SSE of Fais, Micronesia | 35.0 km | Jul 3, 1950 |
| 6.4 | 50 km NW of Fais, Micronesia | 12.8 km | Dec 8, 2017 |
| 6.4 | 180 km SSW of Colonia, Micronesia | 23.9 km | Dec 11, 1983 |
Significant earthquake record (37 events)
Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Micronesia since 1900, most recent first.
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 171 km NNE of Colonia, Micronesia | 14.0 km | Feb 14, 2024 |
| 6.2 | 257 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 10.0 km | Jul 6, 2020 |
| 6.1 | 50 km NW of Fais, Micronesia | 10.0 km | Dec 9, 2017 |
| 6.3 | 45 km NW of Fais, Micronesia | 8.0 km | Dec 8, 2017 |
| 6.4 | 50 km NW of Fais, Micronesia | 12.8 km | Dec 8, 2017 |
| 6.2 | 135 km SSW of Colonia, Micronesia | 19.0 km | Dec 18, 2016 |
| 6.3 | 293 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 10.0 km | Aug 18, 2010 |
| 6.6 | 294 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 13.0 km | Aug 14, 2010 |
| 6.1 | 277 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 22.8 km | Dec 20, 2005 |
| 6.1 | 136 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 12.0 km | Jan 17, 2005 |
| 6.6 | 133 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 24.9 km | Jan 16, 2005 |
| 6.3 | 231 km SW of Colonia, Micronesia | 10.0 km | Aug 14, 2002 |
| 6.1 | 136 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 33.0 km | Jun 10, 2002 |
| 6.0 | 224 km NW of Fais, Micronesia | 33.0 km | May 26, 2000 |
| 6.3 | 54 km NNE of Colonia, Micronesia | 10.0 km | Sep 26, 1993 |
| 6.1 | 234 km SSW of Colonia, Micronesia | 33.5 km | Nov 7, 1985 |
| 6.1 | 157 km NNW of Fais, Micronesia | 24.0 km | Aug 11, 1985 |
| 6.4 | 180 km SSW of Colonia, Micronesia | 23.9 km | Dec 11, 1983 |
| 6.2 | 92 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 39.0 km | Feb 14, 1983 |
| 6.2 | 94 km SSW of Colonia, Micronesia | 12.3 km | Jan 27, 1969 |
| 6.1 | 273 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 17.4 km | Sep 8, 1967 |
| 6.2 | 271 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 20.0 km | Aug 26, 1967 |
| 7.0 | 199 km NNW of Fais, Micronesia | 40.0 km | Jun 7, 1966 |
| 6.0 | 193 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Apr 24, 1965 |
| 6.1 | 256 km NE of Fais, Micronesia | 20.0 km | Mar 26, 1964 |
| 6.0 | 247 km NNE of Colonia, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Nov 13, 1953 |
| 6.2 | 195 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 16.7 km | Apr 18, 1952 |
| 6.4 | 160 km SSE of Fais, Micronesia | 35.0 km | Jul 3, 1950 |
| 6.5 | 96 km ENE of Fais, Micronesia | 25.0 km | Mar 15, 1943 |
| 6.9 | 32 km SSE of Fais, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Jun 18, 1942 |
| 6.8 | 223 km SSW of Colonia, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Apr 12, 1936 |
| 6.1 | 130 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Dec 31, 1929 |
| 6.2 | 242 km NNE of Fais, Micronesia | 35.0 km | Jan 17, 1929 |
| 6.1 | 240 km N of Fais, Micronesia | 25.0 km | Feb 13, 1928 |
| 6.0 | 247 km NE of Fais, Micronesia | 35.0 km | Jul 17, 1925 |
| 6.3 | 193 km ENE of Fais, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Mar 30, 1919 |
| 6.8 | 281 km S of Colonia, Micronesia | 15.0 km | Oct 31, 1912 |
Other countries in this catalog sample
A Micronesia-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.
Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster
A second Micronesia-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.
Showing 6 of 186 countries with a recorded max magnitude.
According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 317,293 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,444 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 2026-08-26.