Welcome to the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program

Latest Earthquakes

World (Magnitude 4.5+)

Thu Jan 15 19:27:33 GMT

USA (Magnitude 1+)

Thu Jan 15 19:39:01 GMT

Today's Earthquake Fact

An earthquake is caused by the shaking of the ground due to an abrupt shift of rock along a fracture in the Earth, called a fault. Within seconds, an earthquake releases stress that has slowly accumulated within the rock, sometimes over hundreds of years. Most earthquakes are caused by slow movements deep in the Earth that push against the Earth's brittle, relatively thin outer layer, causing the rocks to break suddenly.

Quick Links