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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Wallis and Futuna

Wallis and Futuna ranks 38th 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.

805
M4+ events (since 2005)
60
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.6
Strongest
~38
M4+ per year

The verdict

Wallis and Futuna has logged 805 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 60 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.6.

#38
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
805
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.6
strongest earthquake on record
60
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Wallis and Futuna by year

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

Value

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.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2025

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
7.6 144 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 419.1 km
7.0 85 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.7 201 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 18.0 km
6.7 116 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.7 203 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 16.0 km
6.7 266 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.7 139 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.6 187 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 314.2 km
6.6 168 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.6 142 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 13.5 km

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
6.6 187 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 314.2 km
6.5 265 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.1 157 km ESE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 3.7 km
6.0 254 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.5 181 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.7 201 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 18.0 km
6.4 193 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 9.0 km
6.2 271 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 407.9 km
6.3 254 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.5 km
6.0 221 km S of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 32.5 km
6.7 116 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.0 89 km E of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.3 171 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 31.0 km
6.0 183 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.1 166 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.4 249 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.6 168 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.0 201 km S of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.3 264 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 9.7 km
6.2 144 km ESE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.0 160 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 378.9 km
6.7 203 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 16.0 km
6.1 173 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 27.6 km
6.0 171 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 17.8 km
6.0 17 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.0 146 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.0 144 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 17.8 km
6.7 266 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.0 182 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 292.0 km
6.0 20 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 2.0 km
6.3 24 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.5 227 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.1 174 km SE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.1 176 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.0 276 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 33.0 km
6.6 142 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 13.5 km
6.5 162 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 25.0 km
7.0 85 km SW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.1 252 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 11.9 km
6.2 274 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.2 127 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 55.0 km
6.1 157 km S of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 30.0 km
6.4 297 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 25.0 km
6.0 220 km S of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
7.6 144 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 419.1 km
6.5 106 km SE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.5 148 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.3 60 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.4 166 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.1 255 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 35.0 km
6.4 183 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.1 149 km SSW of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.2 36 km WNW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.0 183 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.4 195 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.7 139 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.3 292 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.4 225 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.4 88 km SE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km
6.5 84 km S of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 15.0 km

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Wallis and Futuna.

Bolivia

832 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

India region

835 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Costa Rica

715 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Panama

704 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Nepal

694 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Micronesia

671 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

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 Wallis and Futuna? ▼
The USGS catalog records 805 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Wallis and Futuna since 2005, an average of about 38 per year. Separately, 60 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Wallis and Futuna? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Wallis and Futuna measured magnitude 7.6. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.6 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Wallis and Futuna? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Wallis and Futuna ranks 38th of 215 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1974, with 3.
How deep are earthquakes in Wallis and Futuna? ▼
Across the 60 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 48 km. 92% 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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