What the record shows for Mozambique
The strongest earthquake on record near Mozambique is a magnitude 7.0 in 2006, centred 160 km SE of Chipinge, Zimbabwe - 20 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 162 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 444 km of Mozambique - roughly 8 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 444 km of Mozambique 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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Mozambique marks the southern reach of the East African Rift system.
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 Mozambique.
Earthquake risk in Mozambique - FAQ
Is Mozambique at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 8 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 444 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.0 in 2006.
What was the biggest earthquake in Mozambique?
The strongest earthquake on record near Mozambique is M7.0, in 2006 (160 km SE of Chipinge, Zimbabwe), from USGS.
Does Mozambique get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 444 km of Mozambique in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Mozambique?
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.