Country profile · USGS ComCat
Earthquakes in South Sudan
South Sudan has catalogued 7 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 148th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.2.
South Sudan ranks 148th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity, averaging about 0 M4+ events a year alongside 5 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. The M6+ record here is thin - 5 events in all, so a single quake moves every figure on this page.
- 7
- M4+ events (since 2005)
- 5
- Major M6+ (since 1900)
- M7.2
- Strongest
- ~0
- M4+ per year
The verdict
South Sudan is relatively quiet seismically compared to most places tracked here, with 7 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 5 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.2.
- 1990
- busiest year (4 major events)
- 15 km
- average recorded event depth
- 100%
- of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)
Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder French Polynesia sits immediately above at 8 events and Bermuda sits immediately below at 6.
Where South Sudan sits in the catalog
Rank 148th of 187 tracked countries (20th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder French Polynesia sits immediately above at 8 events and Bermuda sits immediately below at 6.
- French Polynesia - next more active (8 M4+)
- Bermuda - next less active (6 M4+)
Same M4+ count, broken by peak magnitude
2 tracked countries share South Sudan's exact count of 7 M4+ events since 2005. Among that cohort, South Sudan ranks 1st of 2 by strongest recorded magnitude (M4.8).
| Country | M4+ count | Strongest |
|---|---|---|
| South Sudan (this page) | 7 | M4.8 |
| Hungary | 7 | M4.5 |
0 of 7 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.
Magnitude distribution of major events
Breakdown of the 5 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for South Sudan.
M7.0-7.9
2
40.0%
M6.0-6.9
3
60.0%
Depth of major earthquakes
Hypocentral depth of the 5 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 15 km.
Shallow (<70 km)
5
100.0% of events
Intermediate (70–300 km)
0
0.0% of events
Deep (>300 km)
0
0.0% of events
Strongest earthquakes in South Sudan
The 5 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.2 | 69 km ENE of Juba, South Sudan | 14.9 km | May 20, 1990 |
| 7.1 | 63 km NNE of Juba, South Sudan | 16.0 km | May 24, 1990 |
| 6.6 | 60 km N of Juba, South Sudan | 12.6 km | Jul 9, 1990 |
| 6.5 | 54 km NNE of Juba, South Sudan | 16.5 km | May 24, 1990 |
| 6.5 | 106 km SE of Bor, South Sudan | 15.0 km | May 21, 1915 |
Significant earthquake record (5 events)
Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in South Sudan since 1900, most recent first.
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.6 | 60 km N of Juba, South Sudan | 12.6 km | Jul 9, 1990 |
| 7.1 | 63 km NNE of Juba, South Sudan | 16.0 km | May 24, 1990 |
| 6.5 | 54 km NNE of Juba, South Sudan | 16.5 km | May 24, 1990 |
| 7.2 | 69 km ENE of Juba, South Sudan | 14.9 km | May 20, 1990 |
| 6.5 | 106 km SE of Bor, South Sudan | 15.0 km | May 21, 1915 |
Other countries in this catalog sample
A South Sudan-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.
Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster
A second South Sudan-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.
Understand the data
Frequently asked questions
How many earthquakes have occurred in South Sudan? ▼
What was the strongest earthquake in South Sudan? ▼
How seismically active is South Sudan? ▼
How deep are earthquakes in South Sudan? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
About South Sudan's figures
7 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.2 · average M4.5 · 5 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Oct 31, 2023. 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 South Sudan's numbers mean
South Sudan ranks 148th of 187 countries tracked - a country with limited but non-zero seismic activity.
- About 0 M4+ earthquakes strike South Sudan per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1990 was the busiest year on record with 4 significant events. See the full country ranking
- 100% of South Sudan'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 M7.2. 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.