What the record shows for U.S. Virgin Islands
The strongest earthquake on record near U.S. Virgin Islands is a magnitude 7.7 in 1943, centred 45 km N of San Antonio, Puerto Rico - 83 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 636 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of U.S. Virgin Islands - roughly 32 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 8 tsunamis within 300 km of U.S. Virgin Islands between 1802 and 2020. The most significant was in 1918 near Puerto Rico: Mona Passage, triggered by an M7.1 earthquake, which killed around 144 people.
4 volcanoes are catalogued near U.S. Virgin Islands, including Saba, Quill, The, Liamuiga, Nevis Peak. 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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The Virgin Islands sit on the boundary between the Caribbean and North American plates, with near-daily small quakes in the Puerto Rico trench.
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 U.S. Virgin Islands.
Earthquake risk in U.S. Virgin Islands - FAQ
Is U.S. Virgin Islands at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 32 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 M7.7 in 1943.
What was the biggest earthquake in U.S. Virgin Islands?
The strongest earthquake on record near U.S. Virgin Islands is M7.7, in 1943 (45 km N of San Antonio, Puerto Rico), from USGS.
Does U.S. Virgin Islands get tsunamis?
Yes - 8 tsunamis since 1802 (most recently 2020) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 144 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in U.S. Virgin Islands?
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.