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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Samoa

Samoa ranks 78th 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.

116
M4+ events (since 2005)
15
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M6.6
Strongest
~6
M4+ per year

The verdict

Samoa has logged 116 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 15 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 6.6.

#78
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
116
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M6.6
strongest earthquake on record
15
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 Samoa by year

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

Value

What this shows Samoa's most active year for major earthquakes was 1933 (2 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 15 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Samoa.

M6.0-6.9

15

100.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 15 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 17 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

15

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Samoa

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

Mag Location Depth
6.6 103 km SW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.5 154 km SSW of Matavai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.4 132 km SW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.3 136 km SW of Asau, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 118 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 106 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 85 km NE of Samamea, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 147 km SSW of Lotofag?, Samoa 17.0 km
6.2 130 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa 33.0 km
6.2 140 km SSW of Lotofag?, Samoa 15.0 km

Significant earthquake record (15 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.0 159 km SSW of Lotofag?, Samoa 18.0 km
6.2 147 km SSW of Lotofag?, Samoa 17.0 km
6.2 130 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa 33.0 km
6.0 136 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa 27.0 km
6.6 103 km SW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 140 km SSW of Lotofag?, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 164 km SSW of Matavai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.4 132 km SW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.3 136 km SW of Asau, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 118 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.5 154 km SSW of Matavai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 106 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.1 129 km SSW of Matavai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.1 122 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa 15.0 km
6.2 85 km NE of Samamea, Samoa 15.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Samoa.

Saudi Arabia

114 M4+ events · strongest M5.7

M5.7

Anguilla

113 M4+ events · strongest M5.6

M5.6

Cayman Islands

106 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Poland

128 M4+ events · strongest M5.0

M5.0

Antigua and Barbuda

129 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Brazil

101 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

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 Samoa? ▼
The USGS catalog records 116 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Samoa since 2005, an average of about 6 per year. Separately, 15 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Samoa? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Samoa measured magnitude 6.6. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.7 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Samoa? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Samoa ranks 78th of 215 countries worldwide - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1933, with 2.
How deep are earthquakes in Samoa? ▼
Across the 15 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 17 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.

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.