Earthquake Risk Checker by Location
Check the seismic hazard level for any city or country worldwide. See real-time recent earthquakes from USGS within 500 km, plus your local risk rating and what to do if an earthquake strikes.
- Drop to your hands and knees immediately — this prevents being knocked down
- Take cover under a sturdy table, desk, or against an interior wall
- Cover your head and neck with your arms if no shelter is nearby
- Hold on and stay put until shaking stops — do not run outside
- If outside, move away from buildings, trees, and power lines
- After shaking stops, check for injuries and gas leaks
- Expect aftershocks — be ready to drop and cover again
- Text rather than call — SMS works when voice networks are overloaded
How Earthquake Risk Is Calculated
The Earthquake Risk Checker combines two data sources to give you a complete seismic picture. First, a built-in risk database classifies countries and regions by seismic hazard level — Very High, High, Medium, or Low — based on global hazard assessments, historical records, and tectonic plate boundary data from the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) foundation. Countries along the Pacific Ring of Fire (Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Chile) and major collision zones (Turkey, Iran, Nepal, Italy) fall into the Very High category. Second, real-time earthquake data is fetched from the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program API, which tracks every M4+ earthquake on Earth within minutes of detection. The tool displays the 10 most recent quakes within 500 km of your location in the past 30 days. Based on 2024 data, the USGS detects over 500,000 earthquakes per year globally, of which about 100,000 can be felt and 100 cause damage.
Understanding Seismic Hazard Levels
Seismic hazard is expressed in four levels. Low risk locations like the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, Brazil, and South Africa experience infrequent minor earthquakes and face minimal structural risk. Medium risk areas like the US East Coast, Canada, Australia, and parts of Southeast Asia experience occasional moderate earthquakes that may cause minor damage to older structures. High risk zones encompass the US West Coast, New Zealand, Greece, Portugal, and parts of China, where significant earthquakes occur regularly and building codes are specifically designed for earthquake resistance. Very High risk areas — particularly Japan, Indonesia, Turkey, and Chile — sit on or near active tectonic plate boundaries and experience major earthquakes several times per decade. Japan alone has experienced over 1,500 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or higher in recent years.
Earthquake Preparedness by Risk Level
Your preparedness actions should match your location's risk level. If you live in a Low risk area, basic awareness is sufficient — know that earthquakes can still occur and have a simple emergency plan. In Medium risk areas, secure heavy furniture, know your building's construction type, and keep a 72-hour emergency kit. In High risk areas, your building should meet modern seismic codes, all family members should practice Drop-Cover-Hold-On drills, and you should have a comprehensive emergency kit with 1 week of supplies. In Very High risk zones like Tokyo or Istanbul, earthquake early warning apps (such as Japan's J-Alert), seismic retrofitting of older buildings, and community-level preparedness are essential. FEMA recommends that residents in earthquake zones check their home's foundation, water heater, and structural walls for vulnerability.
About the Earthquake Data Source
All earthquake data is sourced in real time from the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, the world's most comprehensive earthquake monitoring network. USGS operates over 2,000 seismic sensors globally and typically detects earthquakes within 20 minutes of occurrence anywhere in the world. The API used here is the FDSN Event Web Service, which is free, open, and requires no API key. Location geocoding uses the OpenStreetMap Nominatim API, which covers virtually every city and region on Earth. This tool does not store your location — all queries are made directly from your browser to these public APIs.