What the record shows for South Africa
The strongest earthquake on record near South Africa is a magnitude 6.3 in 1919, centred 38 km S of Driefontein, South Africa - 107 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 184 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 611 km of South Africa - roughly 9 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 611 km of South Africa 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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South Africa experiences natural earthquakes and notable mining-induced seismicity around its deep gold mines.
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 South Africa.
Earthquake risk in South Africa - FAQ
Is South Africa at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 9 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 611 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M6.3 in 1919.
What was the biggest earthquake in South Africa?
The strongest earthquake on record near South Africa is M6.3, in 1919 (38 km S of Driefontein, South Africa), from USGS.
Does South Africa get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 611 km of South Africa in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in South Africa?
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.