What the record shows for Greenland
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 56 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 777 km of Greenland - roughly 3 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 10 tsunamis within 777 km of Greenland between 1952 and 2023. The most significant was in 2017 near Karrat Fjord, Greenland, which killed around 4 people.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Greenland itself is seismically quiet, but the surrounding Greenland Sea ridge is active, and glacial quakes are recorded along the ice margin.
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 Greenland.
Earthquake risk in Greenland - FAQ
Is Greenland at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 3 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 777 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data.
What was the biggest earthquake in Greenland?
We don't have a standout large earthquake on record close to Greenland in the modern catalog, though smaller quakes can still occur.
Does Greenland get tsunamis?
Yes - 10 tsunamis since 1952 (most recently 2023) within 777 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 4 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Greenland?
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.