Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Micronesia

Micronesia ranks 42nd 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

671
M4+ events (since 2005): 37
Major M6+ (since 1900): M7.0
Strongest: ~32
M4+ per year

The verdict

Micronesia has logged 671 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 37 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.0.

#42
of 215 countries by M4+ activity: 671
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present): M7.0
strongest earthquake on record: 37
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.

1969

1
1983

2
1985

2
1993

1
2000

1
2002

2
2005

3
2010

2
2016

1
2017

3
2020

1
2024

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.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 37 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Micronesia.

M7.0-7.9

2.7%

M6.0-6.9

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)

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

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

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Micronesia.

Nepal

694 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Panama

704 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Costa Rica

715 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Kyrgyzstan

624 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Italy

608 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Ethiopia

572 M4+ events · strongest M5.9

M5.9

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 Micronesia? ▼

The USGS catalog records 671 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Micronesia since 2005, an average of about 32 per year. Separately, 37 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.

What was the strongest earthquake in Micronesia? ▼

The strongest catalogued earthquake in Micronesia measured magnitude 7.0. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.7 - most earthquakes are moderate.

How seismically active is Micronesia? ▼

By catalogued M4+ activity, Micronesia ranks 42nd of 215 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 2005, with 3.

How deep are earthquakes in Micronesia? ▼

Across the 37 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 20 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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