Strong · M6.0–6.9
Strong earthquakes are destructive in populated areas, especially where building standards are weak. A shallow M6 near a city can be deadly.
Class
Strong
Per year (global)
~130
Last 12 months
102
Since 1900
12,874
Largest recorded
M7.0
Strong earthquakes are destructive in populated areas, especially where building standards are weak. A shallow M6 near a city can be deadly.
Typical effects. Widespread damage to ordinary buildings, collapse of vulnerable structures, and liquefaction on soft ground. Casualties depend heavily on depth, distance and construction quality.
Magnitude is logarithmic: each whole step is about 32× more energy, so a magnitude 6 releases far more energy than the band below it. But felt shaking and damage also depend on depth, distance and local geology.
The most recent events recorded in the M6.0–6.9 range, worldwide.
August 5, 2026 · 10 km deep
July 14, 2026 · 46 km deep
June 26, 2026 · 42 km deep
June 17, 2026 · 10 km deep
June 16, 2026 · 10 km deep
June 16, 2026 · 10 km deep
June 15, 2026 · 112 km deep
June 10, 2026 · 14 km deep
June 8, 2026 · 26 km deep
June 8, 2026 · 69 km deep
June 7, 2026 · 43 km deep
June 7, 2026 · 82 km deep
June 7, 2026 · 35 km deep
June 1, 2026 · 243 km deep
May 31, 2026 · 25 km deep
May 27, 2026 · 10 km deep
May 27, 2026 · 10 km deep
May 25, 2026 · 109 km deep
May 20, 2026 · 10 km deep
May 16, 2026 · 47 km deep
May 15, 2026 · 42 km deep
May 14, 2026 · 137 km deep
May 9, 2026 · 16 km deep
May 4, 2026 · 43 km deep
April 20, 2026 · 35 km deep
April 19, 2026 · 36 km deep
April 16, 2026 · 12 km deep
April 4, 2026 · 67 km deep
April 2, 2026 · 28 km deep
April 1, 2026 · 126 km deep
FAQ
Strong earthquakes are destructive in populated areas, especially where building standards are weak. A shallow M6 near a city can be deadly. On the moment-magnitude scale, magnitude 6 covers M6.0–6.9. Widespread damage to ordinary buildings, collapse of vulnerable structures, and liquefaction on soft ground. Casualties depend heavily on depth, distance and construction quality.
About ~130 earthquakes in the M6.0–6.9 range occur worldwide each year. Our catalog recorded 102 in the last 12 months and 12,874 since 1900.
Widespread damage to ordinary buildings, collapse of vulnerable structures, and liquefaction on soft ground. Casualties depend heavily on depth, distance and construction quality. Impact depends far more on depth, distance to people and building quality than on magnitude alone — a shallow magnitude 6 under a city is far more dangerous than a deep one far offshore.