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Annual review · year-to-date · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in 2026

In 2026, USGS catalogued 8,303 M4+ earthquakes worldwide, including 82 significant M6+ events so far.

8,303 magnitude-4-and-above earthquakes were catalogued worldwide in 2026 (year-to-date - 2026 is still in progress), including 82 significant M6+ events. The strongest reached M7.8.

8,303
M4+ events (so far)
82
Significant M6+
M7.8
Strongest
82 km
Avg depth
2026 is still in progress. These figures are year-to-date and will keep rising as the USGS adds events, do not compare this partial count directly against completed years.

The year in one line

2026 logged 8,303 catalogued M4+ earthquakes worldwide so far, 82 of them major M6+ events, topping out at magnitude 7.8.

8,303
M4+ events (year-to-date)
82
major M6+ events
M7.8
strongest of the year
82 km
average hypocentral depth

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

Magnitude breakdown - 2026

How 2026's 8,303 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 - 82 events in 2026 - is where damaging shaking lives.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2026

Major (M6+) events by month

Count of significant (M6+) earthquakes catalogued in each month of 2026.

Jan

10

Feb

8

Mar

17

Apr

8

May

10

Jun

20

Jul

9

Significant earthquakes in 2026 (82)

Every catalogued M6+ earthquake recorded during 2026, strongest impact first.

Mag Location Depth
7.8 25 km SW of Kablalan, Philippines 57.0 km
7.5 158 km W of Neiafu, Tonga 234.0 km
7.5 20 km ESE of Yumare, Venezuela 10.0 km
7.4 129 km ESE of Bitung, Indonesia 35.0 km
7.4 102 km ENE of Miyako, Japan 25.0 km
7.3 51 km ENE of Luganville, Vanuatu 120.6 km
7.3 58 km WSW of Puerto Madero, Mexico 18.6 km
7.2 21 km ENE of San Felipe, Venezuela 27.6 km
7.1 57 km NNW of Kota Belud, Malaysia 629.0 km
6.9 34 km ENE of Calama, Chile 109.0 km
6.9 33 km ENE of Noda, Japan 34.0 km
6.7 41 km ESE of Ōfunato, Japan 42.0 km
6.7 42 km SE of Palu, Indonesia 11.0 km
6.6 northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge 10.0 km
6.6 southern East Pacific Rise 10.0 km
6.6 central Mid-Atlantic Ridge 10.0 km
6.6 148 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 10.0 km
6.5 0 km W of San Marcos, Mexico 18.0 km
6.5 South Shetland Islands 21.0 km
6.5 123 km E of Yamada, Japan 16.0 km
6.5 18 km SW of Balangonan, Philippines 75.1 km
6.5 34 km WSW of Sarangani, Philippines 42.0 km
6.4 35 km E of Santiago, Philippines 22.0 km
6.4 247 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines 31.0 km
6.4 48 km W of Port-Olry, Vanuatu 43.0 km
6.4 223 km ESE of Attu Station, Alaska 10.0 km
6.4 South Sandwich Islands region 26.0 km
6.4 191 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea 10.0 km
6.3 Fiji region 579.0 km
6.3 140 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 12.0 km
6.3 109 km WNW of Ternate, Indonesia 28.0 km
6.3 262 km SSE of Dunhuang, China 10.0 km
6.3 southeast of the Loyalty Islands 10.0 km
6.2 135 km SE of Kuril’sk, Russia 29.0 km
6.2 127 km S of Vilyuchinsk, Russia 47.0 km
6.2 Fiji region 513.0 km
6.2 62 km SE of Sinabang, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.2 170 km SE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands 10.0 km
6.2 71 km W of Vallenar, Chile 24.0 km
6.2 121 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 14.0 km
6.2 148 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.2 268 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia 137.0 km
6.2 23 km WSW of San Lucido, Italy 243.0 km
6.2 68 km ESE of Pondaguitan, Philippines 84.0 km
6.2 58 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia 120.9 km
6.2 32 km WSW of Sarangani, Philippines 46.4 km
6.1 Volcano Islands, Japan region 8.0 km
6.1 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 167.0 km
6.1 28 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 46.0 km
6.1 98 km WNW of Isangel, Vanuatu 21.0 km
6.1 88 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga 36.0 km
6.1 Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska 16.3 km
6.1 19 km SW of Balangonan, Philippines 44.7 km
6.1 99 km WNW of Mantua, Cuba 26.0 km
6.1 43 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan 199.0 km
6.1 136 km NNE of Hirara, Japan 10.0 km
6.0 southeast Indian Ridge 10.0 km
6.0 off the coast of Oregon 10.0 km
6.0 277 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia 11.0 km
6.0 South Sandwich Islands region 63.6 km
6.0 87 km ESE of Ozernovskiy, Russia 43.0 km
6.0 south of the Fiji Islands 636.3 km
6.0 96 km SW of Nikolski, Alaska 14.0 km
6.0 Volcano Islands, Japan region 20.0 km
6.0 7 km WSW of Hihifo, Tonga 134.0 km
6.0 16 km SSE of Sant'Angelo, Italy 375.0 km
6.0 19 km SE of Picota, Peru 126.0 km
6.0 95 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines 67.0 km
6.0 south of the Kermadec Islands 12.0 km
6.0 100 km E of Miyako, Japan 35.0 km
6.0 10 km WSW of Nena, Philippines 43.0 km
6.0 61 km ESE of Codrington, Antigua and Barbuda 47.0 km
6.0 western Indian-Antarctic Ridge 10.0 km
6.0 western Indian-Antarctic Ridge 10.0 km
6.0 33 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile 25.0 km
6.0 111 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia 18.0 km
6.0 5 km SSW of Pangyan, Philippines 35.0 km
6.0 Auckland Islands, New Zealand region 10.0 km
6.0 156 km ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia 10.0 km
6.0 75 km SSW of El Progreso, Mexico 10.0 km
6.0 49 km E of Noda, Japan 43.6 km
6.0 90 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico 10.0 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 2026? ▼
In 2026, the USGS catalog recorded 8,303 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater worldwide so far, this year is still in progress, so the count is partial and will keep rising. Of these, 82 reached M6.0 or above.
What was the strongest earthquake in 2026? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in 2026 reached magnitude 7.8, near 25 km SW of Kablalan, Philippines. There were 9 M7+ events during the year.
How does 2026 compare to other years? ▼
A typical year sees roughly 13,000–18,000 catalogued M4+ earthquakes worldwide. 2026 recorded 8,303 so far (partial year), with an average depth of 82 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.