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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Samoa

Samoa has catalogued 116 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 74th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M6.6.

Samoa ranks 74th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity, averaging about 6 M4+ events a year alongside 15 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1917 to 2009, peaking in 1933.

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

The verdict

Samoa is moderately seismically active, above the global median, with 116 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 15 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 6.6.

1933
busiest year (2 major events)
17 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 Antigua and Barbuda sits immediately above at 129 events and Saudi Arabia sits immediately below at 114.

Where Samoa sits in the catalog

Rank 74th of 187 tracked countries (60th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Antigua and Barbuda sits immediately above at 129 events and Saudi Arabia sits immediately below at 114.

Samoa's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

116 Top 40% higher than 60% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). This entry sits in this band. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Above this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Above this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Above this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Above this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). Above this entry. Samoa 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

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

How Samoa compares to its nearest peers

Samoa ranks in the 60th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 20 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Samoa vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 21 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes 50100150200 M4M5M6M7M8 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Samoa vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Romania 183 M5.6
Kazakhstan 174 M6.1
Azerbaijan 169 M5.6
Democratic Republic of the Congo 161 M6.8
Guadeloupe 152 M6.5
Turkmenistan 143 M5.4
Mauritius 135 M6.0
Zimbabwe 135 M7.0
Poland 130 M5.0
Antigua and Barbuda 129 M6.6
Samoa (this page) 116 M6.2
Saudi Arabia 114 M5.7
Anguilla 113 M5.6
Cayman Islands 107 M7.6
Brazil 101 M6.8
Uzbekistan 101 M5.7
Cyprus 97 M6.6
Cuba 96 M6.8
Eritrea 93 M5.6
Spain 88 M6.3
Trinidad and Tobago 88 M6.1

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 2005–present
0%100%1.7%
Share of Samoa's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

2 of 116 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

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.

Samoa100%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Samoa's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

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

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Samoa-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Kazakhstan

174 M4+ events · strongest M6.1

M6.1

Timor Leste

3,416 M4+ events · strongest M7.3

M7.3

Maldives

5 M4+ events · strongest M4.9

M4.9

Turkmenistan

143 M4+ events · strongest M5.4

M5.4

Uzbekistan

101 M4+ events · strongest M5.7

M5.7

Saint Kitts and Nevis

23 M4+ events · strongest M4.8

M4.8

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Samoa-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Algeria

245 M4+ events

M6.0

Kazakhstan

174 M4+ events

M6.1

Guadeloupe

152 M4+ events

M6.5

Tanzania

368 M4+ events

M6.0

Portugal

423 M4+ events

M6.3

Rwanda

42 M4+ events

M5.9

Understand the data

Antigua and Barbuda

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Saudi Arabia

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

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 74th of 187 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 Samoa's figures

116 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M6.6 · average M4.7 · 15 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp May 24, 2026. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What Samoa's numbers mean

Samoa ranks 74th of 187 countries tracked - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity.

  • About 6 M4+ earthquakes strike Samoa per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1933 was the busiest year on record with 2 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 100% of Samoa's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M6.6. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 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 2026-07-19.