PlainQuake

Annual review · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in 2021

17,257 magnitude-4-and-above earthquakes were catalogued worldwide in 2021, including 157 significant M6+ events. The strongest reached M8.2.

17,257
M4+ events
157
Significant M6+
M8.2
Strongest
78 km
Avg depth

The year in one line

2021 logged 17,257 catalogued M4+ earthquakes worldwide, 157 of them major M6+ events, topping out at magnitude 8.2.

17,257
M4+ events worldwide
157
major M6+ events
M8.2
strongest of the year
78 km
average hypocentral depth

Major-event activity peaked in Mar with 20 M6+ events, aftershock sequences can drive month-to-month spikes for over a year after a megathrust.

Magnitude breakdown - 2021

How 2021's 17,257 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 - 157 events in 2021 - is where damaging shaking lives.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2021

Major (M6+) events by month

Count of significant (M6+) earthquakes catalogued in each month of 2021.

Jan

12

Feb

16

Mar

20

Apr

14

May

13

Jun

2

Jul

12

Aug

19

Sep

9

Oct

11

Nov

16

Dec

13

Significant earthquakes in 2021 (157)

Every catalogued M6+ earthquake recorded during 2021, strongest impact first.

Mag Location Depth
8.2 2021 Chignik, Alaska Earthquake 35.0 km
8.1 2021 South Sandwich Islands Earthquake 22.8 km
8.1 2021 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand Earthquake 28.9 km
7.7 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 10.0 km
7.5 43 km NNW of Barranca, Peru 126.0 km
7.5 South Sandwich Islands region 47.2 km
7.4 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 43.0 km
7.3 125 km NNE of Lospalos, Timor Leste 165.5 km
7.3 Flores Sea 14.3 km
7.3 Vanuatu region 527.0 km
7.3 Southern Qinghai, China 10.0 km
7.3 182 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand 10.0 km
7.2 Nippes, Haiti 10.0 km
7.1 South Sandwich Islands region 6.0 km
7.1 60 km ENE of Pondaguitan, Philippines 55.1 km
7.1 73 km ENE of Namie, Japan 44.0 km
7.0 Acapulco, Mexico 20.0 km
7.0 30 km E of Ishinomaki, Japan 43.0 km
7.0 211 km SE of Pondaguitan, Philippines 80.0 km
6.9 112 km E of Chignik, Alaska 51.6 km
6.9 Vanuatu region 535.0 km
6.9 17 km N of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 93.0 km
6.9 South Sandwich Islands region 16.7 km
6.9 125 km SE of Perryville, Alaska 20.7 km
6.9 30 km SSE of Onagawa Ch?, Japan 43.0 km
6.9 South Shetland Islands 15.0 km
6.7 South Sandwich Islands region 35.0 km
6.7 15 km S of Hukay, Philippines 110.0 km
6.7 71 km S of Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.7 southern East Pacific Rise 10.0 km
6.7 260 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 11.0 km
6.7 Mauritius - Reunion region 10.0 km
6.7 West Chile Rise 10.0 km
6.7 29 km SSW of Turt, Mongolia 10.0 km
6.6 west of Macquarie Island 10.0 km
6.6 177 km SE of Hirara, Japan 12.0 km
6.6 South Sandwich Islands region 7.0 km
6.6 east of the South Sandwich Islands 10.0 km
6.6 171 km SSE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 13.2 km
6.5 80 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua 21.0 km
6.5 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 25.0 km
6.5 265 km SSE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 10.0 km
6.5 207 km WSW of Haveluloto, Tonga 246.0 km
6.5 225 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga 301.0 km
6.5 Kermadec Islands region 24.0 km
6.4 63 km NNW of Bandar Abbas, Iran 10.0 km
6.4 148 km WSW of Buala, Solomon Islands 33.0 km
6.4 4 km SW of Palekastro, Greece 20.0 km
6.4 73 km W of Talcahuano, Chile 18.8 km
6.4 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 16.0 km
6.4 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 20.0 km
6.4 26 km SW of Pocito, Argentina 20.8 km
6.3 113 km SSE of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.3 Izu Islands, Japan region 11.0 km
6.3 62 km S of Masachapa, Nicaragua 20.0 km
6.3 99 km WNW of Luwuk, Indonesia 11.0 km
6.3 183 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand 13.0 km
6.3 Kermadec Islands region 17.0 km
6.3 9 km W of Týrnavos, Greece 8.0 km
6.3 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 12.0 km
6.3 219 km SSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.3 189 km SW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.3 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 224.0 km
6.2 27 km SSE of Naalehu, Hawaii 35.1 km
6.2 7km N of Petrolia, CA 27.0 km
6.2 85 km W of Labasa, Fiji 10.0 km
6.2 20 km WSW of Falam, Myanmar 43.0 km
6.2 192 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 34.0 km
6.2 28 km SSE of Yilan, Taiwan 69.0 km
6.2 59 km WNW of Sola, Vanuatu 93.0 km
6.2 South Sandwich Islands region 10.0 km
6.2 86 km NW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina 205.0 km
6.2 7 km E of Sullana, Peru 34.0 km
6.2 132 km WSW of Ternate, Indonesia 26.0 km
6.2 Kermadec Islands region 15.0 km
6.2 Kermadec Islands region 10.0 km
6.2 Kermadec Islands region 14.0 km
6.2 136 km S of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 14.0 km
6.2 82 km W of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 13.0 km
6.2 32 km S of Mamuju, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.2 Kermadec Islands region 38.5 km
6.1 141 km E of Levuka, Fiji 639.2 km
6.1 110 km NW of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.1 295 km WSW of Hanga Roa, Chile 10.0 km
6.1 77 km E of Lata, Solomon Islands 10.0 km
6.1 south of the Fiji Islands 487.0 km
6.1 243 km NNW of Nanao, Japan 364.0 km
6.1 187 km WSW of Adak, Alaska 18.0 km
6.1 Kuril Islands 35.0 km
6.1 South Sandwich Islands region 35.0 km
6.1 South Sandwich Islands region 32.6 km
6.1 South Sandwich Islands region 10.0 km
6.1 Nicobar Islands, India region 10.0 km
6.1 Kermadec Islands region 10.0 km
6.1 135 km S of Burica, Panama 4.1 km
6.1 215 km NW of Tobelo, Indonesia 44.3 km
6.1 Fiji region 599.6 km
6.1 73 km N of Chickaloon, Alaska 44.0 km
6.1 25 km NW of Dali, China 9.0 km
6.1 154 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.1 Fiji region 384.0 km
6.1 west of Macquarie Island 10.0 km
6.1 Kermadec Islands region 18.0 km
6.1 Kermadec Islands region 10.0 km
6.1 176 km ENE of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.1 254 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 9.0 km
6.1 167 km SSW of Sarangani, Philippines 300.0 km
6.1 194 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand 24.0 km
6.1 Kermadec Islands region 10.0 km
6.1 Kermadec Islands region 10.0 km
6.1 Kermadec Islands region 10.0 km
6.1 66 km SSW of Sola, Vanuatu 173.3 km
6.1 157 km ESE of Alo, Wallis and Futuna 3.7 km
6.1 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 12.0 km
6.1 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 14.0 km
6.1 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 11.7 km
6.1 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 10.0 km
6.1 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 11.0 km
6.1 50 km E of Lakatoro, Vanuatu 160.0 km
6.1 32 km NW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina 217.0 km
6.1 146 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 113.0 km
6.1 53 km SSW of Gorontalo, Indonesia 148.0 km
6.1 230 km WSW of Adak, Alaska 21.0 km
6.0 213 km SW of La Cruz de Loreto, Mexico 10.0 km
6.0 Prince Edward Islands region 10.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 15.0 km
6.0 116 km N of Naze, Japan 7.0 km
6.0 261 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia 149.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 7.0 km
6.0 South Indian Ocean 10.0 km
6.0 62 km NNW of Bandar Abbas, Iran 9.0 km
6.0 181 km SW of Nabire, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.0 150 km ESE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 34.0 km
6.0 253 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 8.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 22.0 km
6.0 Mid-Indian Ridge 10.0 km
6.0 6 km N of Thrapsanón, Greece 6.0 km
6.0 185 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 219 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 35.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 28.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 35.0 km
6.0 182 km NE of Tual, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.0 142 km SSW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 8.4 km
6.0 Antelope Valley, CA 7.5 km
6.0 72 km WSW of Vallenar, Chile 22.0 km
6.0 76 km ENE of Namie, Japan 32.0 km
6.0 55 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador 22.0 km
6.0 8 km NNW of Dhekiajuli, India 34.0 km
6.0 196 km N of Madang, Papua New Guinea 9.0 km
6.0 45 km S of Sumberpucung, Indonesia 67.0 km
6.0 Fiji region 595.0 km
6.0 west of Macquarie Island 10.0 km
6.0 21 km NNE of Bejaïa, Algeria 8.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 10.0 km
6.0 Kermadec Islands region 15.0 km
6.0 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 10.6 km
6.0 9 km W of Magsaysay, Philippines 16.0 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 2021? ▼
In 2021, the USGS catalog recorded 17,257 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater worldwide. Of these, 157 reached M6.0 or above.
What was the strongest earthquake in 2021? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in 2021 reached magnitude 8.2, near 2021 Chignik, Alaska Earthquake. There were 16 M7+ events during the year.
How does 2021 compare to other years? ▼
A typical year sees roughly 13,000–18,000 catalogued M4+ earthquakes worldwide. 2021 recorded 17,257, with an average depth of 78 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.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is an informational reference for informational purposes only, not an emergency or early-warning service, and not professional engineering or safety advice. For official alerts and guidance, consult the USGS and your local emergency authorities. See our full disclaimer.