What the record shows for Syria
The strongest earthquake on record near Syria is a magnitude 7.8 in 2023, centred Pazarcik earthquake, Kahramanmaras earthquake sequence - 3 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 227 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Syria - roughly 11 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 13 tsunamis within 300 km of Syria between -2000 and 2023. The most significant was in 115 near Antakya (Antioch), triggered by an M7.5 earthquake, which killed around 260,000 people.
8 volcanoes are catalogued near Syria, including Unnamed, Unnamed, Es Safa, Sharat Kovakab, Unnamed, Ash Shaam, Harrat and 2 more. Volcanic systems generate their own earthquake swarms, which is why activity here can look different from a purely tectonic region.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Syria sits on the Dead Sea Transform fault and was severely affected by the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes.
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 Syria.
Earthquake risk in Syria - FAQ
Is Syria at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 11 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 M7.8 in 2023.
What was the biggest earthquake in Syria?
The strongest earthquake on record near Syria is M7.8, in 2023 (Pazarcik earthquake, Kahramanmaras earthquake sequence), from USGS.
Does Syria get tsunamis?
Yes - 13 tsunamis since 2000 BC (most recently 2023) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 260,000 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Syria?
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.