Alabama has low-to-moderate seismicity, with small quakes in the southern Appalachians and the Bahamas-linked east Tennessee seismic zone to the north.
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 Alabama.
What the record shows for Alabama
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 0 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Alabama - about one every Infinity years. 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 Alabama 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.
Check Alabama hazard risk in detail
An interactive breakdown of the earthquake, tsunami and volcano risk in Alabama - or search any city or region.
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Earthquake risk in Alabama - FAQ
Is Alabama at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 1 quake every infinity years nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data.
What was the biggest earthquake in Alabama?
We don't have a standout large earthquake on record close to Alabama in the modern catalog, though smaller quakes can still occur.
Does Alabama get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Alabama in the NOAA database - though coastal states can still be exposed after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Alabama?
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.