Country profile · USGS ComCat
Earthquakes in Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna has catalogued 808 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 36th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.6.
Wallis and Futuna ranks 36th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country, averaging about 38 M4+ events a year alongside 60 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1907 to 2025, peaking in 1974.
- 808
- M4+ events (since 2005)
- 60
- Major M6+ (since 1900)
- M7.6
- Strongest
- ~38
- M4+ per year
The verdict
Wallis and Futuna is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 808 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 60 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.6.
- 1974
- busiest year (3 major events)
- 48 km
- average recorded event depth
- 92%
- of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)
Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Bolivia sits immediately above at 835 events and Costa Rica sits immediately below at 720.
ComCat magnitude tape
Event tape WALLIS-AND-F · Wallis and Futuna M4+ · 36th/187
Wallis and Futuna · 808 M4+ · max M7.6 · 60 M6+
- EPIC 808
- YOY 36th/187
- BAND M7.6
- STRIP 60
- BOOK near Bolivia
- RANK 92% 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 Wallis and Futuna
USGS recorded Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) for 10 events in this catalogued record; their average observed intensity was MMI 4.8. These are only events with an observation, not an estimate of future shaking or a safety rating.
- MMI observations
- 10
- Average observed MMI
- 4.8
- PAGER alerts / tsunami flags
- 7 / 5
Source: USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) GeoJSON impact fields. Missing MMI, alert, and tsunami values remain unreported rather than being treated as zero.
Where Wallis and Futuna sits in the catalog
Rank 36th of 187 tracked countries (81th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Bolivia sits immediately above at 835 events and Costa Rica sits immediately below at 720.
- Bolivia - next more active (835 M4+)
- Costa Rica - next less active (720 M4+)
Wallis and Futuna's M4+ count vs. every tracked country
Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat
808 Top 19% higher than 81% 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 Wallis and Futuna by year
Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year
- 2001
2001: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2002
2002: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2003
2003: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2004
2004: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2005
2005: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 2006
2006: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2011
2011: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 2014
2014: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 2015
2015: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2018
2018: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2021
2021: 2 major (M6+) events
2
- 2025
2025: 1 major (M6+) events
1
What this shows Wallis and Futuna's most active year for major earthquakes was 1974 (3 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.
12 of 808 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.
Magnitude distribution of major events
Breakdown of the 60 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Wallis and Futuna.
M7.0-7.9
1
1.7%
M6.0-6.9
59
98.3%
Depth of major earthquakes
Hypocentral depth of the 60 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 48 km.
Shallow (<70 km)
55
91.7% of events
Intermediate (70–300 km)
1
1.7% of events
Deep (>300 km)
4
6.7% of events
Strongest earthquakes in Wallis and Futuna
The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.6 | 144 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 419.1 km | May 23, 1956 |
| 7.0 | 85 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Jan 19, 1967 |
| 6.7 | 201 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 18.0 km | Jun 29, 2014 |
| 6.7 | 116 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Dec 13, 2005 |
| 6.7 | 203 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 16.0 km | Apr 6, 1991 |
| 6.7 | 266 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Sep 17, 1983 |
| 6.7 | 139 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Jan 1, 1922 |
| 6.6 | 187 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 314.2 km | Jul 24, 2025 |
| 6.6 | 168 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Aug 8, 1997 |
| 6.6 | 142 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 13.5 km | Aug 14, 1971 |
Significant earthquake record (60 events)
Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Wallis and Futuna since 1900, most recent first.
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.6 | 187 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 314.2 km | Jul 24, 2025 |
| 6.5 | 265 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | May 21, 2021 |
| 6.1 | 157 km ESE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 3.7 km | Feb 18, 2021 |
| 6.0 | 254 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Feb 1, 2018 |
| 6.5 | 181 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Apr 17, 2015 |
| 6.7 | 201 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 18.0 km | Jun 29, 2014 |
| 6.4 | 193 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 9.0 km | Jun 29, 2014 |
| 6.2 | 271 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 407.9 km | Aug 19, 2011 |
| 6.3 | 254 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.5 km | Mar 31, 2011 |
| 6.0 | 221 km S of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 32.5 km | Feb 26, 2006 |
| 6.7 | 116 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Dec 13, 2005 |
| 6.0 | 89 km E of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Aug 7, 2005 |
| 6.3 | 171 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 31.0 km | Feb 23, 2004 |
| 6.0 | 183 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Oct 13, 2003 |
| 6.1 | 166 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Oct 13, 2002 |
| 6.4 | 249 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Dec 3, 2001 |
| 6.6 | 168 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Aug 8, 1997 |
| 6.0 | 201 km S of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Nov 16, 1996 |
| 6.3 | 264 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 9.7 km | Apr 17, 1993 |
| 6.2 | 144 km ESE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Feb 13, 1993 |
| 6.0 | 160 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 378.9 km | Feb 20, 1992 |
| 6.7 | 203 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 16.0 km | Apr 6, 1991 |
| 6.1 | 173 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 27.6 km | Feb 9, 1991 |
| 6.0 | 171 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 17.8 km | Jun 11, 1986 |
| 6.0 | 17 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Mar 27, 1986 |
| 6.0 | 146 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Dec 22, 1985 |
| 6.0 | 144 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 17.8 km | Dec 22, 1985 |
| 6.7 | 266 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Sep 17, 1983 |
| 6.0 | 182 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 292.0 km | Jul 17, 1978 |
| 6.0 | 20 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 2.0 km | Mar 23, 1977 |
| 6.3 | 24 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Mar 23, 1977 |
| 6.5 | 227 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Oct 20, 1975 |
| 6.1 | 174 km SE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Dec 21, 1974 |
| 6.1 | 176 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | Nov 10, 1974 |
| 6.0 | 276 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 33.0 km | May 7, 1974 |
| 6.6 | 142 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 13.5 km | Aug 14, 1971 |
| 6.5 | 162 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 25.0 km | Aug 14, 1971 |
| 7.0 | 85 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 10.0 km | Jan 19, 1967 |
| 6.1 | 252 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 11.9 km | Oct 8, 1966 |
| 6.2 | 274 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Oct 8, 1966 |
| 6.2 | 127 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 55.0 km | Jan 5, 1962 |
| 6.1 | 157 km S of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 30.0 km | Aug 23, 1960 |
| 6.4 | 297 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 25.0 km | Aug 12, 1959 |
| 6.0 | 220 km S of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Sep 9, 1957 |
| 7.6 | 144 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 419.1 km | May 23, 1956 |
| 6.5 | 106 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Oct 21, 1943 |
| 6.5 | 148 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Dec 22, 1940 |
| 6.3 | 60 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Mar 25, 1938 |
| 6.4 | 166 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Oct 23, 1930 |
| 6.1 | 255 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 35.0 km | Dec 24, 1929 |
| 6.4 | 183 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Jun 8, 1928 |
| 6.1 | 149 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | May 28, 1928 |
| 6.2 | 36 km WNW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Dec 16, 1926 |
| 6.0 | 183 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Nov 3, 1926 |
| 6.4 | 195 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Dec 26, 1924 |
| 6.7 | 139 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Jan 1, 1922 |
| 6.3 | 292 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | May 8, 1919 |
| 6.4 | 225 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Jun 4, 1918 |
| 6.4 | 88 km SE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | Jul 11, 1917 |
| 6.5 | 84 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna | 15.0 km | May 31, 1907 |
Other countries in this catalog sample
A Wallis and Futuna-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.
Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster
A second Wallis and Futuna-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.