Recent Magnitude 8 Earthquakes Worldwide
3 earthquakes between magnitude 8.0 and 8.9 have been recorded worldwide since December 2024 — an average of 0 per month. The most recent are listed below.
Great earthquakes are among the largest events ever recorded and can devastate areas hundreds of kilometres across. Offshore events of this size are the primary cause of destructive ocean-wide tsunamis. A magnitude 8.5 earthquake radiates roughly 84.8 million tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The average focal depth for events in this band is 34 km.
Events in this band make up 0.0% of every earthquake in the catalogue. A magnitude 8 releases about 32 times the energy of a magnitude 7, and about 1,000 times that of a magnitude 6.
67% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 33% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). A substantial share of intermediate-depth events points to a subducting slab beneath the region rather than purely crustal faulting.
The largest event in this band on record here is a magnitude 8.7 earthquake near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia on 29 July 2025, at a focal depth of 18 km.
3 earthquakes in this magnitude band carry a USGS link to NOAA tsunami information. The flag does not mean that a tsunami occurred.
Magnitude 8 earthquakes, newest first
3 events listed below, newest first. Times are UTC. Click any column header to re-sort.
| Time (UTC) | Mag | Location | Depth (km) | Country | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.0 | Drake Passage | 10.0 | — | View details View | |
| 8.0 | Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 74.0 | — | View details View | |
| 8.7 | Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia | 18.2 | — | View details View |
Frequently asked questions
How often do magnitude 8 earthquakes happen?
Our catalogue contains 3 earthquakes in the magnitude 8.0–8.9 band, an average of 0 per month. Globally, each step down the magnitude scale is roughly ten times more frequent than the step above it.
Where do most magnitude 8 earthquakes occur?
Events in this band cluster along active plate boundaries.
How strong is a magnitude 8 earthquake?
Great earthquakes are among the largest events ever recorded and can devastate areas hundreds of kilometres across. Offshore events of this size are the primary cause of destructive ocean-wide tsunamis. A magnitude 8.0 earthquake radiates roughly 15.1 million tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
For what a magnitude 8 earthquake actually feels like and how the scale works, read the full explainer. See our guides on the magnitude scale, focal depth and why earthquakes cluster.