What the record shows for Haiti
The strongest earthquake on record near Haiti is a magnitude 7.2 in 2021, centred Nippes, Haiti - 5 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 402 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Haiti - roughly 20 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 16 tsunamis within 300 km of Haiti between 1751 and 2021. The most significant was in 2010 near Haiti & Dominican Republic, triggered by an M7.0 earthquake, which killed around 316,000 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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Haiti sits on the Enriquillo fault, the source of the catastrophic 2010 earthquake.
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 Haiti.
Earthquake risk in Haiti - FAQ
Is Haiti at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 20 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.2 in 2021.
What was the biggest earthquake in Haiti?
The strongest earthquake on record near Haiti is M7.2, in 2021 (Nippes, Haiti), from USGS.
Does Haiti get tsunamis?
Yes - 16 tsunamis since 1751 (most recently 2021) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 316,000 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Haiti?
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.