2026 Earthquake Activity: A Month-by-Month Look

Earthquakes happen every day across the planet, from tiny tremors that nobody feels to enormous earthquakes capable of destroying cities.

For this report, we use magnitude 6.0 and above as the main measurement. This gives us a practical picture of the year's stronger earthquakes without mixing thousands of tiny seismic events into the story.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) continuously monitors earthquakes worldwide. Its catalog shows 83 magnitude-6.0-or-greater earthquakes through July 24, 2026, followed by additional M6+ earthquakes in August. The catalog is updated as earthquake locations and magnitudes are revised.

USGS also explains that it normally locates approximately 20,000 earthquakes worldwide each year, or about 55 per day. Most are much smaller than magnitude 6.

January 2026

January began with several strong earthquakes.

Major M6+ earthquakes

The January 2 Mexico earthquake reached magnitude 6.5, while strong earthquakes also occurred around the Philippines, Russia, Japan and the Pacific region.

February 2026

February continued the strong earthquake activity.

Major events

The standout event was the magnitude 7.1 earthquake near Kota Belud, Malaysia. Despite its large magnitude, it occurred approximately 629 km deep, which greatly reduced the surface impact compared with a shallow earthquake of similar magnitude.

March 2026

March was particularly active around the Pacific.

Important M6+ earthquakes included events near:

• Fiji
• Japan
• Indonesia
• Solomon Islands
• Alaska
• Tonga
• Vanuatu
• Chile
• Italy
• South Shetland Islands

The largest event was a magnitude 7.5 earthquake near Neiafu, Tonga, on March 24 at a depth of about 234 km. Another magnitude 7.4 earthquake occurred near Luganville, Vanuatu, on March 30.

Several magnitude-6 earthquakes also occurred around Tonga in the same period.

April 2026

April brought several major earthquakes.

Major events

April 1 — Indonesia

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake occurred near Bitung, Indonesia, at a depth of about 35 km.

Another M6.3 earthquake occurred near Ternate the following day.

April 20 — Japan

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near Miyako, Japan, at a depth of about 25 km.

Another M6.0 earthquake occurred only minutes later in the same region.

The Japan event was particularly important because earthquakes beneath or near the ocean can generate tsunami hazards.

May 2026

May included earthquakes of magnitude 6 and above around:

• Japan
• Indonesia
• Philippines
• Chile
• Antigua and Barbuda
• the Indian-Antarctic Ridge
• the East Pacific Rise
• Alaska

One of the stronger events was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake near Calama, Chile, on May 25.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake also occurred near Ōfunato, Japan, on May 15.

June 2026

June became one of the most important earthquake months of the year.

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Philippines on June 7. The USGS ShakeMap placed the event near Kablalan and estimated the depth at roughly 55 km.

Multiple M6 earthquakes occurred around the Philippines during the same sequence.

Other significant June earthquakes occurred near:

• Russia
• China
• Indonesia
• Cuba
• Chile
• Japan
• Afghanistan
• the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
• the Auckland Islands

Venezuela: June 24

Two exceptionally destructive earthquakes struck Venezuela within roughly a minute:

• Magnitude 7.2
• Magnitude 7.5

The earthquakes were shallow, making them especially destructive.

The human toll became enormous. Reuters reported that the Venezuelan government later raised the death toll to more than 6,000, with the exact figure changing as recovery continued.

This became the deadliest earthquake disaster reported in 2026 so far.

July 2026

July saw additional M6+ earthquakes.

Examples include:

• July 1 — Japan, M6.0
• July 3 — Indonesia, M6.2
• July 3 — Japan, M6.1
• July 11 — South Sandwich Islands, M6.4
• July 13 — Papua New Guinea, M6.4
• July 14 — Philippines, M6.2
• July 17 — Mexico, M7.5
• July 17 — Mexico, M6.4
• July 24 — Vanuatu, M6.0

The July 17 Mexico earthquake reached magnitude 7.5, with another M6.4 earthquake occurring nearby shortly afterward.

August 2026 — Up to August 15

August has already produced several important earthquakes.

August 5 — Philippines

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred southwest of Sarangani, Philippines.

Another magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred south of the Kermadec Islands.

August 10 — Colombia

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of about 107 km and caused enormous damage.

By August 14, Reuters reported at least 250 deaths, more than 300 people missing and extensive damage to homes, hospitals and infrastructure. A later World Bank response reported 285 deaths and nearly 4,000 injuries. Because rescue operations were still underway, these numbers remained subject to change.

August 14 — Indonesia

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck near Ende/Flores, Indonesia.

USGS places the earthquake at approximately 10 km depth, making it a shallow earthquake.

The earthquake caused deaths, injuries, landslides and extensive damage. Reuters reported at least 47 deaths, more than 2,000 people evacuated and tsunami waves below 1 metre; the tsunami warning was later lifted.

August 15 — Spain (Granada)

A series of earthquakes struck southern Spain's Granada province, including a magnitude-4.8 tremor and a peak magnitude-5.0 mainshock. Shaking cracked building facades and damaged vehicles across Alhendín, Santa Fe, and the Granada metropolitan area. Emergency services reported at least three people suffered light injuries. The historic Alhambra fortress remained undamaged.

How Many M6+ Earthquakes Have Happened?

According to the USGS 2026 M6+ catalog:

83 M6.0+ earthquakes were listed through July 24.

The catalog then records additional M6+ events in August, including two M6.3 earthquakes on August 5 and the M7.7 Indonesia earthquake on August 14.

Therefore, the year-to-date M6+ total is at least 86 by August 15, based on the currently available USGS listings.

This number should be described as “at least 86”, rather than a permanently final number, because USGS continuously updates earthquake catalogs and magnitudes.

What about smaller earthquakes?

There are thousands more earthquakes below magnitude 6.

USGS says it locates approximately 20,000 earthquakes worldwide in a typical year, averaging around 55 per day.

So:

All earthquakes: thousands M6.0+ earthquakes: at least 86 by August 15 M7.0+ earthquakes: at least 9 in the USGS list through July, plus the August 7.7 Indonesia event, making at least 10 M7+ events by August 15.

The Biggest Earthquakes of 2026 So Far

The exact ranking can change if USGS revises magnitudes.

Why Magnitude Alone Does Not Tell Us the Damage

A magnitude 7 earthquake can be deadly in one location and cause relatively little damage in another.

The most important factors are:

1. Depth

A shallow earthquake usually produces stronger shaking at the surface than a similarly sized deep earthquake.

The February Malaysia M7.1 was approximately 629 km deep, while the August Indonesia M7.7 was only about 10 km deep.

2. Population

An earthquake under an ocean or in an isolated area may affect relatively few people.

An earthquake close to a large city can become a major disaster.

3. Building quality

Buildings designed to withstand earthquakes can dramatically reduce deaths and injuries.

4. Secondary disasters

Earthquakes can trigger:

• Tsunamis
• Landslides
• Fires
• Dam failures
• Road and bridge collapses
• Power and communication failures

Human Cost in 2026

The largest reported loss of life so far came from Venezuela's June earthquake sequence, where the reported death toll eventually exceeded 6,000.

Colombia's August earthquake caused hundreds of deaths, while Indonesia's August earthquake caused dozens more.

Because several disasters are still undergoing rescue and assessment, there is no reliable final global death toll for all 2026 earthquakes yet.

A responsible news report should therefore avoid presenting a single “final” number while the year is still underway.

Tsunami Activity in 2026

Not every earthquake causes a tsunami.

The greatest tsunami risk generally occurs when a large, shallow earthquake beneath the ocean causes significant vertical movement of the seafloor.

Important 2026 earthquake-related tsunami events include:

• April — Indonesia: M7.4 earthquake near Bitung/Ternate region
• April — Japan: M7.4 earthquake near Miyako
• June — Philippines: M7.8 earthquake and tsunami warnings
• August — Indonesia: M7.7 Flores earthquake, with observed tsunami waves and a warning that was later lifted

The August Flores earthquake is a particularly important example: the earthquake was extremely powerful, but the observed tsunami waves were much smaller than the earthquake's magnitude alone might suggest.

How AI Can Help With Earthquakes

Artificial intelligence cannot currently predict an earthquake's exact time and location.

However, AI can make earthquake response faster.

Before and during an earthquake

AI can analyze seismic sensors and identify the first earthquake waves.

After an earthquake

AI can analyze satellite and aerial images to identify:

• Collapsed buildings
• Damaged roads
• Blocked routes
• Fires
• Flooding
• Areas needing rescue

For tsunami warnings

AI can combine earthquake information with:

• Ocean sensors
• Tide gauges
• Deep-ocean buoys
• Satellite data
• Coastal measurements

This can help emergency agencies estimate whether a tsunami has been generated and which coastlines may be affected.

Can AI Predict the Next Earthquake?

No reliable system can currently predict the exact time, location and magnitude of a future earthquake.

USGS states that scientists cannot currently predict major earthquakes. Scientists can estimate probabilities and earthquake hazards over longer periods, but that is different from predicting a specific earthquake.

That means a headline such as:

“AI predicts a magnitude 8 earthquake will hit India tomorrow”

should be treated as an unverified claim unless supported by credible scientific authorities.

2026 Earthquake Report: Key Numbers

Year covered: January 1 – August 15, 2026

All earthquakes: Thousands worldwide

M6.0+ earthquakes: At least 86

M7.0+ earthquakes: At least 10

Largest listed event: M7.8 Philippines, June 7

Deadliest disaster: Venezuela, June 24 earthquake sequence

Major recent disaster: Colombia, M7.4, August 10

Latest major event: Indonesia, M7.7, August 14

Tsunami-related activity: Several major undersea/coastal earthquakes generated warnings or observed waves.

A Year Still in Progress

2026 is not finished. Earthquakes will continue to occur through the remainder of the year, and casualty, damage and earthquake-count figures can change.

For the most reliable ongoing information, the USGS earthquake catalog should be treated as the primary source for earthquake location, magnitude, depth and event time.

The most important lesson from 2026 is that magnitude alone does not determine disaster severity. Depth, population, building quality, location and secondary hazards such as tsunamis and landslides can make the difference between a strong earthquake that causes little damage and a catastrophe that kills thousands.