Real-Time Earthquake Data

Earthquakes are caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere, most commonly due to movement along tectonic plate boundaries. When stress accumulated along faults exceeds the rock's strength, the rock fractures and slips, generating seismic waves that we feel as ground shaking.

Modern earthquake magnitude is measured using the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw), which quantifies the total energy released by an earthquake based on the seismic moment — a product of fault area, average slip, and rock rigidity. It has largely replaced the older Richter scale (ML) for medium and large earthquakes because it does not saturate at higher magnitudes.

The Richter scale (local magnitude, ML) was developed in 1935 by Charles Richter and measures amplitude of seismic waves on a seismograph. The Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw), developed in 1979, measures total energy released and is more accurate for large earthquakes (M7+). Both are logarithmic — each whole number increase represents roughly 31.6 times more energy.

The USGS estimates about 500,000 detectable earthquakes per year worldwide. Of these, roughly 100,000 can be felt by people, about 100 cause damage, and around 15-20 are magnitude 7.0 or greater. Only 1-2 earthquakes per year reach magnitude 8.0 or above.

QuakeFYI is a comprehensive earthquake information platform providing real-time seismic data from USGS and NOAA, historical earthquake records spanning from 2150 BC to present, seismic profiles for 250 countries, interactive analysis tools, and educational guides — all available in 15 languages.

No reliable method exists to predict the exact time, location, and magnitude of an earthquake. Scientists can identify areas with high seismic risk and estimate long-term probabilities using historical data and fault studies, but short-term prediction remains beyond current scientific capability.