What the record shows for Tunisia
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 33 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Tunisia - 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 Tunisia 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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Northern Tunisia lies on the Africa–Eurasia plate boundary in the Mediterranean.
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 Tunisia.
Earthquake risk in Tunisia - FAQ
Is Tunisia 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.
What was the biggest earthquake in Tunisia?
We don't have a standout large earthquake on record close to Tunisia in the modern catalog, though smaller quakes can still occur.
Does Tunisia get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Tunisia in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Tunisia?
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.