The total number of major quakes, (mag 6 or higher) in the last decade was 1,494 which was 94 less than the first decade of this century which recorded 1,588, according to USGS.
2019 delivered 143 major quakes, (mag 6 or higher) which is slightly below this century's average annual total of 156, the biggest quake of the year being a magnitude 8.0 Peru in May.
Broken down January 2019 delivered 12 major quakes, February: 6, March: 12, April: 16, May: 13, June: 18, July: 14, August: 9, September: 10, October: 6, November: 17 and December: 11.
The highest number of major quakes recorded in a one year period was 2011 with 208, this was the year of the mag 9.1 Japanese quake when a total of 68 aftershocks of mag 6 or higher rattled the country.
2019 total of 143 is a staggering 113 more than the 30 recorded in 1919.
Are major quakes increasing since 1900? They were increasing at a terrifying rate up to 2014 but between then and April 2017 USGS adjusted historical data adding an extra 1,817 quakes
Quakes
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