Live seismic activity in United States — updated every 60 seconds from USGS data. The United States has significant seismic hazards, especially in Alaska, California, and the Pacific Northwest.
The United States experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, with Alaska recording the most. The most famous fault is the San Andreas in California, but the Cascadia Subduction Zone poses a M9+ threat to the Pacific Northwest. The 1964 Great Alaska earthquake (M9.2) is the second largest ever recorded. Major faults include San Andreas, Cascadia, Wasatch, New Madrid. Notable quakes include 1906 San Francisco (M7.9), 1989 Loma Prieta (M6.9), 1994 Northridge (M6.7). The seismic risk is very high in Alaska and California, moderate in other western states, and low in the east. Tectonically, the US spans the Pacific Plate boundary, the North American Plate, and intraplate zones. This page provides real‑time USGS data and historical context for the United States.
The region is defined by San Andreas Fault, Cascadia Subduction Zone, Wasatch Fault, New Madrid Seismic Zone, and the risk level is classified as Very High (Alaska/California), Moderate (West), Low (East). With a population of 331 million, understanding local seismic hazards is crucial.
United States lies on Pacific Plate sliding past North American Plate, plus intraplate zones. The movement of these plates builds up stress, which is released as earthquakes. In subduction zones, one plate dives beneath another, generating some of the largest quakes on Earth. In some regions, strike‑slip faults produce frequent moderate earthquakes.
The strongest recorded earthquake in United States was the 1964 Alaska earthquake (M9.2). 1964 Alaska (M9.2)
United States experiences low to moderate seismic activity, with occasional felt earthquakes, according to USGS historical data.
The most recent major earthquake in United States was the 1964 Alaska earthquake (M9.2). 1964 Alaska (M9.2)
Yes. United States is crossed by San Andreas Fault, Cascadia Subduction Zone, Wasatch Fault, New Madrid Seismic Zone, making it prone to seismic activity. The seismic risk level is classified as Very High (Alaska/California), Moderate (West), Low (East).
Drop, cover, and hold on. Stay away from windows, and if outdoors, move to an open area. After the shaking stops, check for injuries and be ready for aftershocks. Prepare an emergency kit with water, food, first aid, and a flashlight.
Data sources: USGS real‑time feed, USGS historical archive, and Wikipedia. Page refreshes live earthquake data every 60 seconds.