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Annual review · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in 2017

In 2017, USGS catalogued 13,075 M4+ earthquakes worldwide, including 110 significant M6+ events.

13,075 magnitude-4-and-above earthquakes were catalogued worldwide in 2017, including 110 significant M6+ events. The strongest reached M8.2.

13,075
M4+ events
110
Significant M6+
M8.2
Strongest
95 km
Avg depth

The year in one line

2017 logged 13,075 catalogued M4+ earthquakes worldwide, 110 of them major M6+ events, topping out at magnitude 8.2.

13,075
M4+ events worldwide
110
major M6+ events
M8.2
strongest of the year
95 km
average hypocentral depth

Major-event activity peaked in Nov with 16 M6+ events, aftershock sequences can drive month-to-month spikes for over a year after a megathrust.

Magnitude breakdown - 2017

How 2017's 13,075 catalogued M4+ earthquakes split across the magnitude scale

Value

What this shows As in every year, the catalog is dominated by moderate M4–5 events; the rare M6+ band - 110 events in 2017 - is where damaging shaking lives.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2017

Major (M6+) events by month

Count of significant (M6+) earthquakes catalogued in each month of 2017.

Jan

8

Feb

5

Mar

6

Apr

7

May

11

Jun

10

Jul

10

Aug

8

Sep

9

Oct

10

Nov

16

Dec

10

Significant earthquakes in 2017 (110)

Every catalogued M6+ earthquake recorded during 2017, strongest impact first.

Mag Location Depth
8.2 2017 Tehuantepec, Mexico Earthquake 47.4 km
7.9 35 km WNW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 135.0 km
7.7 Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region 10.0 km
7.3 189 km SSE of Tabiauan, Philippines 627.2 km
7.3 29 km S of ?alabja, Iraq 19.0 km
7.1 1 km S of Matzaco, Mexico 48.0 km
7.0 85 km ENE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.9 225 km SW of Nadi, Fiji 12.0 km
6.9 south of the Fiji Islands 414.5 km
6.9 40 km W of Valparaíso, Chile 28.0 km
6.9 31 km SW of Burias, Philippines 26.0 km
6.9 2 km SSW of San Pablo, Guatemala 93.0 km
6.8 59 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 169.0 km
6.8 200 km NW of Attu Station, Alaska 5.0 km
6.8 28 km SW of Puerto San José, Guatemala 38.1 km
6.8 97 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.7 Bouvet Island region 9.0 km
6.7 181 km NNE of Maumere, Indonesia 553.8 km
6.7 132 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 24.0 km
6.6 81 km NNE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 17.0 km
6.6 37 km WNW of Poso, Indonesia 12.0 km
6.6 Auckland Islands, New Zealand region 10.0 km
6.6 11 km ENE of Kos, Greece 7.0 km
6.6 north of Ascension Island 35.0 km
6.6 101 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 22.0 km
6.6 74 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 13.0 km
6.5 65 km W of Kirakira, Solomon Islands 36.0 km
6.5 11 km N of Mabua, Philippines 15.0 km
6.5 41 km E of Padilla, Bolivia 596.0 km
6.5 132 km WSW of Moijabana, Botswana 29.0 km
6.5 South Sandwich Islands region 15.0 km
6.5 2 km S of Lim-oo, Philippines 9.0 km
6.5 168 km SW of Mawu, China 9.0 km
6.5 247 km ESE of Attu Station, Alaska 119.0 km
6.5 67 km WSW of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 110.6 km
6.5 18 km W of Parrita, Costa Rica 19.4 km
6.5 central Mid-Atlantic Ridge 10.0 km
6.5 Bouvet Island region 17.0 km
6.5 12 km SSW of Kawalu, Indonesia 90.0 km
6.4 52 km NW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina 222.0 km
6.4 115 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 34.0 km
6.4 22 km S of Atico, Peru 43.7 km
6.4 71 km W of Bengkulu, Indonesia 31.0 km
6.4 195 km E of Levuka, Fiji 544.0 km
6.4 85 km NNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 197.0 km
6.4 south of the Fiji Islands 96.0 km
6.4 156 km NNE of Shi Yomi, India 8.0 km
6.4 50 km NW of Fais, Micronesia 12.8 km
6.3 south of the Fiji Islands 551.6 km
6.3 104 km WNW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands 26.0 km
6.3 22 km WSW of Pasni, Pakistan 29.1 km
6.3 31 km NW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 37.0 km
6.3 62 km SE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 155.0 km
6.3 48 km NW of Mosquito Lake, Alaska 2.5 km
6.3 5 km S of Plomári, Greece 12.0 km
6.3 Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region 9.0 km
6.3 102 km NNW of Xinyuan, China 20.0 km
6.3 110 km NE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 8.0 km
6.3 76 km SW of Pariaman, Indonesia 43.1 km
6.3 58 km E of Arica, Chile 85.0 km
6.3 82 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 14.0 km
6.3 45 km NW of Fais, Micronesia 8.0 km
6.2 63 km W of Attu Station, Alaska 20.0 km
6.2 47 km NW of Mosquito Lake, Alaska 10.0 km
6.2 135 km W of Adak, Alaska 13.0 km
6.2 78 km SSW of Acajutla, El Salvador 16.0 km
6.2 40 km ENE of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.2 1 km SE of Tuy, Philippines 172.0 km
6.2 259 km ESE of Ishinomaki, Japan 9.0 km
6.2 Balleny Islands region 10.0 km
6.1 115 km SSE of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 17.0 km
6.1 61 km NNW of Torbat-e J?m, Iran 13.0 km
6.1 south of the Fiji Islands 511.0 km
6.1 South Sandwich Islands region 25.0 km
6.1 Bonin Islands, Japan region 451.0 km
6.1 Auckland Islands, New Zealand region 8.0 km
6.1 282 km ESE of Kamaishi, Japan 11.0 km
6.1 7 km NNE of Ixtepec, Mexico 10.0 km
6.1 156 km NW of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.1 103 km SE of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.1 48 km W of Ambon, Indonesia 6.0 km
6.1 110 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 11.0 km
6.1 Ascension Island region 10.0 km
6.1 55 km NNE of Kerman, Iran 9.0 km
6.1 18 km NE of Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador 17.0 km
6.1 50 km NW of Fais, Micronesia 10.0 km
6.0 195 km SW of Nadi, Fiji 10.0 km
6.0 Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada 31.0 km
6.0 Nicobar Islands, India region 10.0 km
6.0 70 km N of Auki, Solomon Islands 8.4 km
6.0 245 km E of Levuka, Fiji 628.0 km
6.0 37 km W of Valparaíso, Chile 21.0 km
6.0 29 km NNW of Karakenja, Tajikistan 11.0 km
6.0 110 km ESE of Hirara, Japan 10.0 km
6.0 25 km S of Alburquerque, Philippines 533.0 km
6.0 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 34.0 km
6.0 198 km W of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 19.0 km
6.0 Kermadec Islands region 404.8 km
6.0 35 km NNW of Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador 13.0 km
6.0 Mauritius - Reunion region 10.0 km
6.0 176 km SSE of Naze, Japan 12.0 km
6.0 North Atlantic Ocean 10.0 km
6.0 Izu Islands, Japan region 12.0 km
6.0 96 km E of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.0 191 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga 9.0 km
6.0 109 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 54.0 km
6.0 51 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea 34.0 km
6.0 53 km NNE of Kerman, Iran 12.0 km
6.0 63 km NNE of Kerman, Iran 8.0 km

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

All years

The full long-term seismic trend.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes occurred in 2017? ▼
In 2017, the USGS catalog recorded 13,075 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater worldwide. Of these, 110 reached M6.0 or above.
What was the strongest earthquake in 2017? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in 2017 reached magnitude 8.2, near 2017 Tehuantepec, Mexico Earthquake. There were 6 M7+ events during the year.
How does 2017 compare to other years? ▼
A typical year sees roughly 13,000–18,000 catalogued M4+ earthquakes worldwide. 2017 recorded 13,075, with an average depth of 95 km. See the year index for the full long-term trend.
What magnitude scale is used? ▼
All magnitudes use the moment magnitude scale (Mw), the USGS standard. The scale is logarithmic, each whole step is roughly 32× more energy released.

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. The worldwide catalog covers magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step up 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. Annual counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred; the current calendar year is always partial and will keep rising as the USGS adds and revises events, so it should never be compared directly against completed years.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

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