Earthquakes in Morocco through history
From 1900 to October 19, 2026, USGS recorded 5 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more in or off Morocco. None reached magnitude 7: the strongest was a magnitude 6.8 on September 8, 2023 (Al Haouz, Morocco).
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
The deadliest was not the strongest: a magnitude 5.9 on February 29, 1960 (Agadir), for which NOAA records 13,100 deaths. NOAA’s list of significant earthquakes has 23 here, back to 1276. NOAA records deaths in 9 of the events here, 32,777 in all. NOAA’s record here begins in 1276 with an earthquake (El Araish (Larache)). 18 of the 23 significant earthquakes NOAA lists here came before 1927. NOAA lists 4 tsunamis that began in or off Morocco, and one from elsewhere that reached it with deaths or a metre of water or more. The highest water NOAA records here was 15.2 m, on November 1, 1755. The deadliest here came on November 1, 1755 from a magnitude 8.5 earthquake (Lisbon): NOAA’s runup records count 10,000 deaths in Morocco.
The events
- September 8, 2023Earthquake · M 6.8Al Haouz, Morocco · 2,946 deaths (NOAA)USGS · NOAA NCEI · Wikipedia
- January 25, 2016Earthquake · M 6.349 km NNE of Al Hoceïma, Morocco · one death (NOAA)USGS · NOAA NCEI · Wikipedia
- February 24, 2004Earthquake · M 6.411 km SSW of Tirhanimîne, Morocco · 628 deaths (NOAA)USGS · NOAA NCEI · Wikipedia
- February 29, 1960Earthquake · M 5.9Agadir · 13,100 deaths (NOAA)NOAA NCEI · Wikipedia
- June 16, 1910Earthquake · M 6.461 km SSE of Castell de Ferro, SpainUSGS
- January 13, 1804Earthquake · M 6.7 (est.)Almeria: Dalias · 2 deaths (NOAA)NOAA NCEI
- April 15, 1757EarthquakeSale, Cape Cantin · 3,000 deaths (NOAA)NOAA NCEI
- November 19, 1755EarthquakeMeknes, Fes · 3,000 deaths (NOAA)NOAA NCEI
- November 1, 1755Tsunami · 15.2 m hereLisbon · 10,000 deaths here (NOAA)NOAA NCEI · Wikipedia
- 1276EarthquakeEl Araish (Larache)NOAA NCEI
Good to know
- An event counts for Morocco 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 Morocco 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 Morocco, 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