U.S. state profile · USGS ComCat
Earthquakes in U.S. Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands ranks 7th of 38 U.S. states and territories by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately active state. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend.
- 220
- M4+ events (since 2005)
- 4
- Major M6+ (since 1900)
- M6.2
- Strongest
- ~10
- M4+ per year
The verdict
U.S. Virgin Islands has logged 220 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 4 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 6.2.
- #7
- of 38 U.S. states by M4+ activity
- 220
- catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
- M6.2
- strongest earthquake on record
- 4
- major M6+ events since 1900
Average catalogued magnitude is 4.3 - most events are moderate tremors felt but rarely damaging.
Major (M6+) earthquakes in U.S. Virgin Islands by year
Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year
- 1919
1919: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 1970
1970: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2001
2001: 1 major (M6+) events
1
- 2008
2008: 1 major (M6+) events
1
What this shows U.S. Virgin Islands's most active year for major earthquakes was 1919 (1 M6+ events). Major-quake counts track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.
Magnitude distribution of major events
Breakdown of the 4 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for U.S. Virgin Islands.
M6.0–6.9
4
100.0%
Depth of major earthquakes
Hypocentral depth of the 4 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 54 km.
Shallow (<70 km)
3
75% of events
Intermediate (70–300 km)
1
25.0% of events
Deep (>300 km)
0
0.0% of events
USGS seismic hazard context
PGA hazard tiers from the USGS National Seismic Hazard Map, the design-basis shaking used in building codes.
PGA hazard tiers (50-year design life) - U.S. Virgin Islands - National Seismic Hazard Map 2023 (USGS NSHM)
Strongest earthquakes in U.S. Virgin Islands
The 4 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2 | 131 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands | 15.0 km | Sep 6, 1919 |
| 6.1 | 91 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands | 23.0 km | Oct 11, 2008 |
| 6.1 | 22 km NNE of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands | 143.0 km | Jul 8, 1970 |
| 6.0 | 112 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands | 33.0 km | Oct 17, 2001 |
Significant earthquake record (4 events)
Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in U.S. Virgin Islands since 1900, most recent first.
| Mag | Location | Depth | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | 91 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands | 23.0 km | Oct 11, 2008 |
| 6.0 | 112 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands | 33.0 km | Oct 17, 2001 |
| 6.1 | 22 km NNE of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands | 143.0 km | Jul 8, 1970 |
| 6.2 | 131 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands | 15.0 km | Sep 6, 1919 |
States with similar seismic activity
Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to U.S. Virgin Islands.
Frequently asked questions
How many earthquakes hit U.S. Virgin Islands? ▼
What was the largest earthquake in U.S. Virgin Islands? ▼
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Understand the data
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. State assignment uses USGS place-name geocoding. 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 surface 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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