What makes an earthquake "significant"?

  1. 6.8Kuril Islands
    2024-12-27 12:47:37 UTC146.0 km
  2. 5.941 km SSW of Guisa, Cuba
    2024-12-23 06:00:56 UTC7.0 km
  3. 5.289 km W of Brandvlei, South Africa
    2024-12-22 00:51:05 UTC10.0 km
  4. 7.324 km WNW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu
    2024-12-17 01:47:25 UTC54.4 km
  5. 5.377 km WNW of Petrolia, CA
    2024-12-15 07:21:59 UTC10.0 km
  6. 6.456 km ESE of Molina, Chile
    2024-12-13 23:38:18 UTC109.0 km
  7. 5.72024 Parker Butte, Nevada Earthquake
    2024-12-09 23:08:31 UTC9.3 km
  8. 5.62 km SSE of Conchagua, El Salvador
    2024-12-09 03:50:29 UTC10.0 km
  9. 6.3104 km SSW of Adak, Alaska
    2024-12-09 00:15:30 UTC19.0 km
  10. 6.3108 km SSW of Adak, Alaska
    2024-12-08 19:57:08 UTC18.0 km
  11. 7.02024 Offshore Cape Mendocino, California Earthquake
    2024-12-05 18:44:21 UTC10.0 km
  12. 6.138 km WNW of Hakui, Japan
    2024-11-26 13:47:03 UTC8.0 km
  13. 6.6122 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
    2024-11-15 05:28:30 UTC56.0 km
  14. 6.842 km SSW of Bartolomé Masó, Cuba
    2024-11-10 16:49:50 UTC14.0 km
  15. 6.3239 km WNW of Cochrane, Chile
    2024-11-08 11:38:00 UTC10.0 km
  16. 4.85 km SW of Pāhala, Hawaii
    2024-11-05 11:42:32 UTC38.4 km
  17. 6.0267 km W of Bandon, Oregon
    2024-10-30 20:15:20 UTC10.0 km
  18. 6.019 km W of Doğanyol, Turkey
    2024-10-16 07:46:32 UTC10.0 km
  19. 6.240 km WNW of Tamarindo, Costa Rica
    2024-10-12 17:43:44 UTC16.0 km
  20. 4.05 km SE of Ontario, CA
    2024-10-06 10:51:08 UTC5.2 km
  21. 3.622 km NNE of Ganges, Canada
    2024-10-04 09:08:58 UTC61.4 km
  22. 6.6125 km SE of Neiafu, Tonga
    2024-10-01 20:05:34 UTC10.0 km
  23. 4.23 km of Aromas, CA
    2024-09-29 09:47:33 UTC6.9 km
  24. 6.3Mauritius - Reunion region
    2024-09-26 19:19:28 UTC10.0 km
  25. 4.012 km E of Saanichton, Canada
    2024-09-26 11:05:20 UTC52.1 km
  26. 5.12024 North of Tarzan, Texas Earthquake
    2024-09-17 00:49:42 UTC6.1 km
  27. 5.28 km N of Cașoca, Romania
    2024-09-16 14:40:21 UTC132.9 km
  28. 6.3266 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
    2024-09-16 11:36:34 UTC31.0 km
  29. 6.5271 km WNW of Port McNeill, Canada
    2024-09-15 22:22:48 UTC3.8 km
  30. 4.76 km N of Malibu, CA
    2024-09-12 14:28:21 UTC11.3 km
  31. 6.3168 km SW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea
    2024-09-11 16:46:05 UTC8.0 km
  32. 4.04 km SE of Ontario, CA
    2024-09-07 17:34:20 UTC4.8 km
  33. 6.456 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea
    2024-09-01 20:13:34 UTC39.0 km
  34. 6.156 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador
    2024-08-28 21:57:54 UTC26.4 km
  35. 5.056 km W of Sines, Portugal
    2024-08-26 04:11:37 UTC6.6 km
  36. 6.975 km W of Pangai, Tonga
    2024-08-25 23:29:07 UTC96.0 km
  37. 7.0102 km E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia
    2024-08-17 19:10:26 UTC29.0 km
  38. 6.130 km SSE of Hualien City, Taiwan
    2024-08-15 23:35:53 UTC14.0 km
  39. 3.66 km NW of Lakeland Village, CA
    2024-08-15 16:39:31 UTC8.4 km
  40. 4.44 km SSE of Highland Park, CA
    2024-08-12 19:20:24 UTC11.0 km
  41. 6.5151 km E of Dolinsk, Russia
    2024-08-10 03:28:32 UTC402.2 km
  42. 7.12024 Hyuganada Sea, Japan Earthquake
    2024-08-08 07:42:55 UTC24.0 km
  43. 4.422 km NW of Grapevine, CA
    2024-08-08 02:09:15 UTC11.6 km
  44. 5.224 km SW of Lamont, CA
    2024-08-07 04:09:56 UTC11.6 km
  45. 6.344 km E of Barcelona, Philippines
    2024-08-03 04:20:26 UTC15.0 km
  46. 6.820 km E of Barcelona, Philippines
    2024-08-02 22:23:02 UTC32.0 km
  47. 4.922 km ENE of Barstow, CA
    2024-07-29 20:00:52 UTC7.3 km
  48. 4.524 km S of Brian Head, Utah
    2024-07-29 05:29:05 UTC19.6 km
  49. 5.117 km NNE of Hermleigh, Texas
    2024-07-26 14:28:29 UTC3.3 km
  50. 4.917 km NNE of Hermleigh, Texas
    2024-07-23 03:38:42 UTC3.2 km
  51. 6.26 km E of Jalapa, Guatemala
    2024-07-21 02:53:48 UTC272.0 km
  52. 7.441 km ESE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
    2024-07-19 01:50:48 UTC127.3 km
  53. 6.4209 km WSW of Tofino, Canada
    2024-07-11 15:08:47 UTC10.0 km
  54. 7.1106 km WSW of Sangay, Philippines
    2024-07-11 02:13:18 UTC639.5 km
  55. 6.6south of Africa
    2024-07-10 04:55:41 UTC4.0 km
  56. 7.210 km WSW of Atiquipa, Peru
    2024-06-28 05:36:36 UTC24.0 km
  57. 4.124 km SW of Lamont, CA
    2024-06-24 22:30:59 UTC12.1 km
  58. 6.349 km NNE of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
    2024-06-24 08:03:37 UTC149.0 km
  59. 6.020 km NE of Yaguaraparo, Venezuela
    2024-06-23 03:57:58 UTC77.0 km
  60. 3.62 km NE of Newport Beach, CA
    2024-06-06 23:52:24 UTC12.1 km
  61. 5.740 km NE of Anamizu, Japan
    2024-06-02 21:31:39 UTC9.0 km
  62. 3.44 km SW of South Pasadena, CA
    2024-06-02 16:56:15 UTC10.4 km
  63. 6.670 km NW of Fangale’ounga, Tonga
    2024-05-26 20:47:12 UTC137.0 km
  64. 6.383 km NW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu
    2024-05-25 22:23:15 UTC22.0 km
  65. 4.09 km SE of Blue Lake, CA
    2024-05-15 06:39:03 UTC25.6 km
  66. 5.692 km NNW of San Antonio, Puerto Rico
    2024-05-15 00:30:11 UTC7.0 km
  67. 6.428 km WSW of Brisas Barra de Suchiate, Mexico
    2024-05-12 11:39:12 UTC61.9 km
  68. 4.110 km SW of Corona, CA
    2024-05-01 20:49:00 UTC4.6 km
  69. 6.191 km S of Banjar, Indonesia
    2024-04-27 16:29:50 UTC59.7 km
  70. 6.5Bonin Islands, Japan region
    2024-04-27 08:35:34 UTC496.0 km
  71. 6.113 km SSW of Hualien City, Taiwan
    2024-04-22 18:32:48 UTC10.0 km
  72. 6.129 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan
    2024-04-22 18:26:52 UTC9.0 km
  73. 4.311 km S of Bodfish, CA
    2024-04-18 19:19:18 UTC3.2 km
  74. 6.318 km W of Uwajima, Japan
    2024-04-17 14:14:46 UTC32.0 km
  75. 6.5111 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea
    2024-04-14 20:56:28 UTC49.0 km
  76. 6.4150 km NW of Tobelo, Indonesia
    2024-04-09 09:47:59 UTC22.0 km
  77. 3.77 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey
    2024-04-05 21:59:13 UTC4.1 km
  78. 4.82024 Tewksbury, New Jersey Earthquake
    2024-04-05 14:23:20 UTC2.6 km
  79. 6.8Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands
    2024-04-05 11:03:16 UTC222.0 km
  80. 4.46 km NW of Belden, CA
    2024-04-05 01:34:49 UTC7.8 km
  81. 6.415 km NNE of Hualien City, Taiwan
    2024-04-03 00:11:25 UTC13.9 km
  82. 7.415 km S of Hualien City, Taiwan
    2024-04-02 23:58:12 UTC40.0 km
  83. 6.4Vanuatu region
    2024-03-27 01:28:17 UTC10.0 km
  84. 6.936 km ENE of Ambunti, Papua New Guinea
    2024-03-23 20:22:04 UTC41.5 km
  85. 6.4110 km N of Paciran, Indonesia
    2024-03-22 08:52:58 UTC9.5 km
  86. 5.422 km ENE of Bileća, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    2024-03-14 03:06:47 UTC16.1 km
  87. 5.6244 km NNE of Nagqu, China
    2024-03-07 10:06:30 UTC10.0 km
  88. 5.4240 km NNE of Nagqu, China
    2024-03-05 02:07:32 UTC10.0 km
  89. 6.8Macquarie Island region
    2024-03-03 16:16:53 UTC23.2 km
  90. 4.910 km N of Smiths Ferry, Idaho
    2024-02-26 17:25:43 UTC12.2 km
  91. 6.3southern East Pacific Rise
    2024-02-23 01:51:13 UTC10.0 km
  92. 4.83 km NNW of El Centro, CA
    2024-02-12 08:36:25 UTC17.9 km
  93. 4.611 km WNW of Malibu, CA
    2024-02-09 21:47:27 UTC15.3 km
  94. 5.92 km SW of Pāhala, Hawaii
    2024-02-09 20:06:31 UTC37.0 km
  95. 4.04 km SSW of Căzăneşti, Romania
    2024-02-05 21:50:45 UTC10.0 km
  96. 5.18 km NW of Prague, Oklahoma
    2024-02-03 05:24:28 UTC3.0 km
  97. 5.7128 km WNW of Aykol, China
    2024-01-29 22:27:41 UTC10.0 km
  98. 6.570 km W of Tarauacá, Brazil
    2024-01-28 09:38:56 UTC621.1 km
  99. 6.115 km W of Taxisco, Guatemala
    2024-01-27 05:52:48 UTC90.0 km
  100. 4.23 km SW of San Bernardino, CA
    2024-01-25 03:43:19 UTC15.8 km
  101. 6.339 km SW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu
    2024-01-23 14:33:45 UTC31.0 km
  102. 5.8129 km SSE of Kyzyl-Suu, Kyrgyzstan
    2024-01-22 18:14:16 UTC10.0 km
  103. 7.0128 km WNW of Aykol, China
    2024-01-22 18:09:04 UTC13.0 km
  104. 6.6123 km NW of Tarauacá, Brazil
    2024-01-20 21:31:05 UTC607.0 km
  105. 5.34 km SW of Salcha, Alaska
    2024-01-19 21:34:35 UTC10.5 km
  106. 5.67 km E of Cartago, Colombia
    2024-01-19 11:26:03 UTC65.1 km
  107. 6.4148 km NW of Fangale’ounga, Tonga
    2024-01-18 22:12:21 UTC209.0 km
  108. 4.16 km ENE of Edmond, Oklahoma
    2024-01-13 11:36:21 UTC6.6 km
  109. 4.36 km W of Arcadia, Oklahoma
    2024-01-13 03:46:28 UTC6.7 km
  110. 5.969 km WNW of Port Alexander, Alaska
    2024-01-12 07:46:21 UTC11.1 km
  111. 6.445 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan
    2024-01-11 09:20:26 UTC204.0 km
  112. 6.793 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines
    2024-01-08 20:48:42 UTC62.6 km
  113. 4.21 km W of Lytle Creek, CA
    2024-01-05 18:55:54 UTC9.1 km
  114. 4.118 km S of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
    2024-01-01 16:27:32 UTC11.4 km
  115. 7.52024 Noto Peninsula, Japan Earthquake
    2024-01-01 07:10:09 UTC10.0 km

What makes an earthquake "significant"?

Events in this list and shown in red on our real-time earthquake map and list are considered “significant events’, and they are determined by a combination of magnitude, number of Did You Feel It responses, and PAGER alert level.

Here is the equation:

mag_significance = magnitude * 100 * (magnitude / 6.5);
pager_significance = red is 2000 : orange is 1000 : yellow is 500 : green is 0;
dyfi_significance = min(num_responses, 1000) * max_cdi / 10;

significance = max(mag_significance, pager_significance) + dyfi_significance;

Any event with a significance > 600 is considered a significant event and appears on the list.