Compare two years in the Quake Pulse database using robust thresholds and explicit historical caveats.
Monthly bars make seasonality and partial-year effects visible. They remain descriptive: earthquake occurrence is not seasonal in the meteorological sense.
| Period | 2026 | 2025 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Events | 15,948 | 8,558 | +86.4% |
| M4.5+ | 5,131 | 8,558 | -40.0% |
| M6+ | 97 | 145 | -33.1% |
| M7+ | 11 | 16 | -31.3% |
| Maximum magnitude | M 7.8 | M 8.8 | -1.0 |
| Average depth | 31.6 km | 53.2 km | -21.7 km |
Note: a current year is incomplete.
Long-term comparisons are more robust at higher magnitudes because small-earthquake detection capability has changed over time.
Guides, explainers and practical reading to go beyond the live data.
Magnitude is only one part of the story. Depth, distance, local ground conditions and building vulnerability help explain why shaking can differ so much from one earthquake to another.
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Earthquake-resistant design is not about making buildings immovable. It is about controlling forces, deformation and failure so people have a much better chance of staying safe.
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Early-warning systems detect an earthquake after it starts and try to send an alert before the strongest shaking arrives. The difference between warning and prediction matters.
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