Latest Earthquakes Today — Live Worldwide Map and List
Every earthquake located by global seismic networks, updated continuously from the USGS
feeds. In the past 24 hours 159 earthquakes of magnitude
1.5 or greater were recorded worldwide;
959 over the past seven days and
4506 over the past 30 days. Each entry below links to the
magnitude, focal depth, epicentre coordinates and USGS source record for that event.
Magnitude measures the energy released at the source on a logarithmic scale. Each whole
step up represents about 32 times more energy: a magnitude 6 earthquake releases roughly
32 times the energy of a magnitude 5, and about 1,000 times that of a magnitude 4.
Below 2.0 — micro: recorded by instruments only, not felt.
2.0–3.9 — minor: felt by some people close to the epicentre; no damage.
4.0–4.9 — light: widely felt, rattles windows and objects; damage uncommon.
5.0–5.9 — moderate: can damage poorly built structures near the epicentre.
6.0–6.9 — strong: damaging in populated areas within about 100 km.
7.0–7.9 — major: serious damage across wide regions.
8.0 and above — great: devastating over hundreds of kilometres.
Focal depth
Depth is the distance below the surface where the rupture began. Shallow earthquakes
(less than 70 km) shake the surface hardest for a given magnitude. Intermediate events
(70–300 km) are usually felt more weakly but across a wider area, and deep events (over
300 km) rarely cause damage even at large magnitudes.
Initial magnitudes are computed automatically within minutes and are often revised as
more seismic stations report. It is normal for an event to shift by a few tenths of a
magnitude in the hours after it occurs.
Frequently asked questions about earthquakes
How many earthquakes happen each day?
Global networks logged 159 earthquakes of magnitude 1.5 or above in the past 24 hours, 959 over the past seven days and 4506 over the past 30 days. Most are too small to be felt; only a few hundred a year are strong enough to cause damage.
What was the biggest earthquake today?
The strongest earthquake recorded in the last 24 hours was a magnitude 5.6 event near southeast of Easter Island, at a focal depth of 10 km.
What was the largest earthquake this week?
The largest earthquake in the past seven days was a magnitude 6.3 event near south of the Kermadec Islands.
What magnitude of earthquake can be felt?
People near the epicentre usually start to notice shaking at around magnitude 2.5 to 3.0. Magnitude 4.5 and above is widely felt, and damage generally begins around magnitude 5.5 in areas without earthquake-resistant construction. Depth matters as much as magnitude: a shallow quake is felt far more strongly than a deep one of the same size.
How quickly is this page updated?
Events are pulled from the USGS feeds continuously, so a new earthquake normally appears here within minutes of being located. Magnitudes are often revised in the hours after an event as more seismic stations report.