What the record shows for Brazil
The strongest earthquake on record near Brazil is a magnitude 6.3 in 1955, centred 207 km WSW of Sinop, Brazil - 71 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 10 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 1000 km of Brazil - about one every 2 years. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
No tsunamis are recorded within 1000 km of Brazil in the NOAA NCEI database. A quiet record is not the same as no exposure - a large enough offshore earthquake can reach coastlines that have never been hit in the historical period.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Brazil is intraplate and relatively stable, but experiences occasional moderate earthquakes across the continent’s interior.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Brazil.
Earthquake risk in Brazil - FAQ
Is Brazil at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 1 quake every 2 years nearby of magnitude 4+ within 1000 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M6.3 in 1955.
What was the biggest earthquake in Brazil?
The strongest earthquake on record near Brazil is M6.3, in 1955 (207 km WSW of Sinop, Brazil), from USGS.
Does Brazil get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 1000 km of Brazil in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Brazil?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.