What the record shows for Wallis and Futuna
The strongest earthquake on record near Wallis and Futuna is a magnitude 7.6 in 1956, centred 144 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna - 70 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 884 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Wallis and Futuna - roughly 44 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 1 tsunami within 300 km of Wallis and Futuna (most recently 1993). The most significant was in 1993 near Futuna, triggered by an M6.4 earthquake, which killed around 5 people.
4 volcanoes are catalogued near Wallis and Futuna, including Wallis Islands, Lobster, Dugong, Niuafo'ou. 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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Wallis and Futuna sit between the Tonga and New Hebrides trenches, an area of persistent moderate seismicity.
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 Wallis and Futuna.
Earthquake risk in Wallis and Futuna - FAQ
Is Wallis and Futuna at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 44 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 M7.6 in 1956.
What was the biggest earthquake in Wallis and Futuna?
The strongest earthquake on record near Wallis and Futuna is M7.6, in 1956 (144 km SSW of Leava, Wallis and Futuna), from USGS.
Does Wallis and Futuna get tsunamis?
Yes - 1 tsunami since 1993 (most recently 1993) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 5 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Wallis and Futuna?
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.