What the record shows for Malawi
The strongest earthquake on record near Malawi is a magnitude 6.5 in 1919, centred 12 km WNW of Chama, Zambia - 107 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 32 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Malawi - roughly 2 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 300 km of Malawi 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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Malawi sits in the active East African Rift, along the deep basin of Lake Malawi.
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 Malawi.
Earthquake risk in Malawi - FAQ
Is Malawi at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 2 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 M6.5 in 1919.
What was the biggest earthquake in Malawi?
The strongest earthquake on record near Malawi is M6.5, in 1919 (12 km WNW of Chama, Zambia), from USGS.
Does Malawi get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Malawi in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Malawi?
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.