What the record shows for India
The strongest earthquake on record near India is a magnitude 6.7 in 1956, centred 6 km SE of Jahāngīrpur, India - 70 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 54 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 777 km of India - 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.
No tsunamis are recorded within 777 km of India 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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India’s northern and northeastern regions are highly seismic due to the ongoing collision with the Eurasian plate.
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 India.
Earthquake risk in India - FAQ
Is India 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. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M6.7 in 1956.
What was the biggest earthquake in India?
The strongest earthquake on record near India is M6.7, in 1956 (6 km SE of Jahāngīrpur, India), from USGS.
Does India get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 777 km of India in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in India?
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.