What the record shows for Yemen
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 62 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 333 km of Yemen - roughly 3 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 333 km of Yemen 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.
4 volcanoes are catalogued near Yemen, including Balhaf-Bir Ali Volcanic Field, Haylan, Jabal, Sawad, Harra Es-, Dhamar, Harras of. 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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Yemen lies near the active rifting of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
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 Yemen.
Earthquake risk in Yemen - FAQ
Is Yemen at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 3 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 333 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data.
What was the biggest earthquake in Yemen?
We don't have a standout large earthquake on record close to Yemen in the modern catalog, though smaller quakes can still occur.
Does Yemen get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 333 km of Yemen in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Yemen?
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.