Earthquakes in American Samoa through history
From 1900 to October 19, 2026, USGS recorded 7 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more in or off American Samoa. None reached magnitude 7: the strongest was a magnitude 6.9 on September 28, 2006 (201 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga).
The last 30 days · as of
USGS recorded no earthquake of magnitude 4.5 or more in the area the map frames in the last 30 days.
What the record holds
NOAA’s list of significant earthquakes has 1 here, back to 1866. NOAA records no deaths for it. NOAA’s record here begins on September 12, 1866 with an eruption (Ofu-Olosega). NOAA lists one tsunami that began in or off American Samoa, and 5 from elsewhere that reached it with deaths or a metre of water or more. The highest water NOAA records here was 17.59 m, on September 29, 2009. NOAA lists one significant eruption of one volcano in or off American Samoa. The largest was Ofu-Olosega on September 12, 1866, at 2 on the volcanic explosivity index.
The events
- September 29, 2009Tsunami · 17.59 m hereSamoa IslandsNOAA NCEI · Wikipedia
- September 28, 2006Earthquake · M 6.9201 km ESE of Hihifo, TongaUSGS · NOAA NCEI
- September 27, 1972Earthquake · M 6.2203 km ESE of Hihifo, TongaUSGS
- June 19, 1925Earthquake · M 6.3171 km S of Vailoatai, American SamoaUSGS
- June 28, 1917Earthquake · M 6.2211 km SSW of Vailoatai, American SamoaUSGS
- May 18, 1917Earthquake · M 6.285 km NE of Samamea, SamoaUSGS
- September 12, 1866Eruption · VEI 2Ofu-OlosegaNOAA NCEI · Wikipedia
Good to know
- An event counts for American Samoa when it began inside its borders, or at sea within 100 km of its coast (so one can count for two neighbours), or further out, up to 300 km, where American Samoa is the nearest country.
- USGS counts here start at magnitude 6: the catalogue’s smaller quakes thin out going back, where few instruments listened.
- NOAA lists significant events only: earthquakes that killed, did about $1 million of damage, reached magnitude 7.5 or intensity X, or raised a tsunami, and eruptions and tsunamis by like measures. Magnitudes before 1900 are its estimates from written accounts.
- Deaths are NOAA’s total for each event, wherever people died, its tsunami and fires included. A tsunami counts the dead its runup records give for this place: NOAA’s total for a tsunami includes its source quake’s.
- A tsunami from elsewhere counts where one of its runups killed or rose a metre or more.
- The map frames the box around American Samoa, its neighbours’ quakes included, so its count runs higher than this page’s.
- Counted to October 19, 2026, as is the map. The last 30 days ask USGS again.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Earthquakes, live, The world through history