When the Earth Moves: Six Major Earthquakes of 2026
Thousands have died in powerful earthquakes this year. Six such events show that magnitude is not the only factor driving disaster scales.
Is 2026 a particularly bad year for earthquakes? Not really. Over time, the world experiences around 15 earthquakes per year registering above magnitude 7 on the Richter scale. To date, there have been 10 such quakes this year alone. The destruction caused by some of these earthquakes has been severe. In Venezuela, two quakes in quick succession resulted in over 6,300 deaths and extensive damage to infrastructure.
The Philippines experienced the strongest quake of the year, but comparatively fewer fatalities. Colombia's magnitude 7.4 quake claimed over 250 lives due to landslides and inaccessible areas. Tonga's magnitude 7.5 earthquake, though powerful, caused no damage or loss of life due to its deep origin. In Japan, a magnitude 7.4 undersea quake off the Sanriku Coast led to no major tsunamis, despite echoes of the 2011 disaster.
Afghanistan's magnitude 5.8 quake, though weak by global standards, still resulted in at least 12 deaths, highlighting the vulnerability of impoverished nations to even minor tremors.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
