What the record shows for Easter Island
The strongest earthquake on record near Easter Island is a magnitude 7.0 in 2014, centred southern East Pacific Rise - 12 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 789 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 1000 km of Easter Island - roughly 40 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 3 tsunamis within 1000 km of Easter Island between 1968 and 2014. The most significant was in 2014 near Easter Island Region, triggered by an M7.0 earthquake.
3 volcanoes are catalogued near Easter Island, including Rapa Nui, Southern EPR-Segment I, Southern EPR-Segment J. Volcanic systems generate their own earthquake swarms, which is why activity here can look different from a purely tectonic region.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Easter Island sits near the East Pacific Rise, where spreading ridges and transform faults generate regular offshore earthquakes.
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 Easter Island.
Earthquake risk in Easter Island - FAQ
Is Easter Island at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 40 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 1000 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.0 in 2014.
What was the biggest earthquake in Easter Island?
The strongest earthquake on record near Easter Island is M7.0, in 2014 (southern East Pacific Rise), from USGS.
Does Easter Island get tsunamis?
Yes - 3 tsunamis since 1968 (most recently 2014) within 1000 km, from the NOAA database.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Easter Island?
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.