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Annual review · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in 2022

In 2022, USGS catalogued 15,714 M4+ earthquakes worldwide, including 127 significant M6+ events.

15,714 magnitude-4-and-above earthquakes were catalogued worldwide in 2022, including 127 significant M6+ events. The strongest reached M7.6.

15,714
M4+ events
127
Significant M6+
M7.6
Strongest
85 km
Avg depth

The year in one line

2022 logged 15,714 catalogued M4+ earthquakes worldwide, 127 of them major M6+ events, topping out at magnitude 7.6.

15,714
M4+ events worldwide
127
major M6+ events
M7.6
strongest of the year
85 km
average hypocentral depth

Major-event activity peaked in Jan with 18 M6+ events, aftershock sequences can drive month-to-month spikes for over a year after a megathrust.

Magnitude breakdown - 2022

How 2022's 15,714 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 - 127 events in 2022 - is where damaging shaking lives.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2022

Major (M6+) events by month

Count of significant (M6+) earthquakes catalogued in each month of 2022.

Jan

18

Feb

10

Mar

15

Apr

8

May

12

Jun

6

Jul

8

Aug

5

Sep

17

Oct

7

Nov

16

Dec

5

Significant earthquakes in 2022 (127)

Every catalogued M6+ earthquake recorded during 2022, strongest impact first.

Mag Location Depth
7.6 70 km E of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea 116.0 km
7.6 35 km SSW of Aguililla, Mexico 26.9 km
7.3 57 km ENE of Namie, Japan 41.0 km
7.3 205 km ESE of Neiafu, Tonga 37.0 km
7.2 10 km W of Azángaro, Peru 236.0 km
7.0 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 10.0 km
7.0 11 km NE of Bantay, Philippines 33.7 km
7.0 209 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu 137.0 km
7.0 south of the Fiji Islands 660.0 km
7.0 Fiji region 579.0 km
7.0 18 km SW of Malango, Solomon Islands 14.0 km
6.9 284 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 10.0 km
6.9 Macquarie Island region 10.0 km
6.9 central Mid-Atlantic Ridge 10.0 km
6.9 90 km E of Yujing, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.9 204 km SW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 25.0 km
6.8 100 km SE of Nikolski, Alaska 20.0 km
6.8 south of the Fiji Islands 535.0 km
6.8 86 km NNW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina 220.0 km
6.8 Easter Island region 10.0 km
6.8 55 km SSW of Aguililla, Mexico 20.0 km
6.8 south of the Fiji Islands 630.4 km
6.8 109 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 38.0 km
6.7 166 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia 28.0 km
6.7 northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge 10.0 km
6.7 65 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan 24.0 km
6.7 60 km SSW of Boca Chica, Panama 20.0 km
6.6 northern Qinghai, China 13.0 km
6.6 48 km WNW of Pólis, Cyprus 21.0 km
6.6 53 km SE of Nikolski, Alaska 19.0 km
6.6 80 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia 33.0 km
6.6 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 24.0 km
6.6 55 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 27.0 km
6.6 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 15.0 km
6.6 south of the Kermadec Islands 30.0 km
6.6 44 km SE of Kangding, China 12.0 km
6.6 south of the Fiji Islands 624.5 km
6.5 Kermadec Islands region 8.0 km
6.5 49 km NW of Barranca, Peru 110.0 km
6.5 107 km SSW of Tarauacá, Brazil 622.7 km
6.5 96 km SE of Lugu, Taiwan 10.0 km
6.5 east of the South Sandwich Islands 11.0 km
6.4 75 km WNW of Cabra, Philippines 11.0 km
6.4 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 20.0 km
6.4 west of Macquarie Island 10.0 km
6.4 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 24.5 km
6.4 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 78.0 km
6.4 155 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 72.0 km
6.4 11 km E of Dolores, Philippines 6.0 km
6.4 15km WSW of Ferndale, CA 17.9 km
6.3 27 km SSE of Saiki, Japan 39.0 km
6.3 southeast Indian Ridge 10.0 km
6.3 Balleny Islands region 14.0 km
6.3 south of the Fiji Islands 21.0 km
6.3 63 km WSW of Norsup, Vanuatu 17.0 km
6.3 178 km SW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.3 south of the Fiji Islands 603.8 km
6.3 129 km NW of Neiafu, Tonga 237.0 km
6.3 Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 105.0 km
6.3 Pacific-Antarctic Ridge 10.0 km
6.3 off the coast of Central America 15.0 km
6.3 South Sandwich Islands region 79.0 km
6.3 Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 73.0 km
6.2 66 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan 19.0 km
6.2 south of the Kermadec Islands 7.0 km
6.2 71 km S of Unalaska, Alaska 29.0 km
6.2 220 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga 6.2 km
6.2 central Mid-Atlantic Ridge 10.0 km
6.2 12 km WSW of Nueva Concepción, Guatemala 60.0 km
6.2 70 km SW of Yonakuni, Japan 21.0 km
6.2 southern East Pacific Rise 10.0 km
6.2 37 km NE of Lospalos, Timor Leste 49.0 km
6.2 Antofagasta, Chile 112.0 km
6.2 119 km S of Pagar Alam, Indonesia 45.3 km
6.2 173 km WSW of Pariaman, Indonesia 17.0 km
6.2 southern East Pacific Rise 10.0 km
6.2 Papua, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.2 260 km ESE of Biak, Indonesia 21.0 km
6.2 37 km SSW of Meulaboh, Indonesia 42.2 km
6.2 central Mid-Atlantic Ridge 10.0 km
6.2 Near the coast of Bio-Bio, Chile 18.0 km
6.2 28 km SW of Las Brisas, Mexico 10.0 km
6.1 near the coast of Nicaragua 17.0 km
6.1 74 km WSW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea 379.0 km
6.1 65 km NNW of Bukittinggi, Indonesia 4.0 km
6.1 Fiji region 581.8 km
6.1 28 km WSW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 149.0 km
6.1 Vanuatu 196.0 km
6.1 41 km E of Santiago, Philippines 19.0 km
6.1 175 km NE of Madang, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.1 1 km S of Lian, Philippines 129.0 km
6.1 22 km NW of Tocopilla, Chile 54.0 km
6.1 110 km WNW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea 125.0 km
6.1 156 km WNW of Ancud, Chile 20.0 km
6.1 South Sandwich Islands region 25.0 km
6.1 82 km SSW of Bahía de Kino, Mexico 10.0 km
6.1 south of the Fiji Islands 630.2 km
6.1 85 km SSE of Toba, Japan 346.0 km
6.1 15 km W of Düzce, Turkey 10.0 km
6.1 289 km SE of Isangel, Vanuatu 4.0 km
6.0 110 km NW of Sola, Vanuatu 104.0 km
6.0 284 km E of Katabu, Indonesia 544.0 km
6.0 232 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines 21.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 11.0 km
6.0 281 km SW of Arenas, Panama 8.0 km
6.0 184 km NE of Lospalos, Timor Leste 119.0 km
6.0 168 km SSW of Merizo Village, Guam 15.0 km
6.0 58 km W of Abra Pampa, Argentina 251.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 20.0 km
6.0 62 km ENE of Namie, Japan 57.2 km
6.0 Kermadec Islands region 44.0 km
6.0 Vanuatu 115.0 km
6.0 56 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 31.0 km
6.0 50 km ESE of Manay, Philippines 19.0 km
6.0 94 km SE of Lukatan, Philippines 18.0 km
6.0 235 km SSE of Katsuura, Japan 12.0 km
6.0 55 km SW of Kh?st, Afghanistan 4.0 km
6.0 49 km NNE of Namuac, Philippines 30.0 km
6.0 52 km NE of Bandar-e Lengeh, Iran 16.0 km
6.0 57 km NE of Bandar-e Lengeh, Iran 9.0 km
6.0 82 km ESE of Port-Vila, Vanuatu 10.0 km
6.0 173 km WSW of Pariaman, Indonesia 20.0 km
6.0 254 km ESE of Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia 10.0 km
6.0 Reykjanes Ridge 10.0 km
6.0 North Pacific Ocean 10.0 km
6.0 Solomon Islands 10.0 km
6.0 7 km W of Corral Falso, Mexico 18.0 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 2022? ▼
In 2022, the USGS catalog recorded 15,714 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater worldwide. Of these, 127 reached M6.0 or above.
What was the strongest earthquake in 2022? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in 2022 reached magnitude 7.6, near 70 km E of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea. There were 11 M7+ events during the year.
How does 2022 compare to other years? ▼
A typical year sees roughly 13,000–18,000 catalogued M4+ earthquakes worldwide. 2022 recorded 15,714, with an average depth of 85 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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