‘Monster’ Earthquakes Increasingly Shaking the Planet This Year, Where Are They Occurring?
A major earthquake has struck the world once again. This time, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake shook western Colombia and caused severe damage in several cities.
The earthquake occurred on Monday (10/8/2026) at 07.34 local time. According to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicentre was near San José del Palmar, Chocó Department, at a depth of approximately 107 kilometres.
The earthquake was the strongest to hit Colombia in the past 34 years. The shaking damaged houses, multi-storey buildings, hospitals, schools, airports, roads and various public facilities.
Pereira and Cali were the two cities that suffered the most severe impact. A number of buildings collapsed, while thousands of residents were forced to leave their homes for fear that already-cracked structures would collapse due to aftershocks.
As of Tuesday (11/8/2026), reports from several affected areas recorded at least 254 deaths. A total of 101 victims were recorded in Pereira and 95 in Cali. Search operations were still ongoing as residents were believed to remain trapped beneath the rubble.
More than 100 aftershocks had also been recorded by Tuesday afternoon. The Colombian government declared a national state of emergency and deployed soldiers, police, rescue workers and volunteers to the affected areas.
The earthquake occurred in the South American subduction zone, where the Nazca Plate is moving beneath the South American Plate. USGS analysis indicates the earthquake was triggered by a strike-slip mechanism, namely the horizontal displacement of two sections of rock within the Nazca Plate that had subducted to a depth of more than 100 kilometres.
The Colombia earthquake adds to the long list of major earthquakes that have shaken the world throughout 2026. Based on the USGS catalogue up to 10 August 2026, there have been 10 earthquakes with a magnitude of at least 7.1.
The strongest earthquake occurred in the Philippines with a magnitude of 7.8. The next positions were occupied by magnitude 7.5 earthquakes in Venezuela and Tonga. Meanwhile, the Colombia earthquake was in fourth place together with two earthquakes of the same magnitude in Japan and Indonesia.
The following is a list of the 10 largest earthquakes in the world throughout 2026 up to 10 August.
- Philippines M7.8: The Strongest Earthquake of 2026
First place was occupied by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the southern Philippines on Monday (8/6/2026). The epicentre was approximately 25 kilometres southwest of Kablalan at a depth of 57 kilometres.
The shaking was felt strongly in General Santos and several other areas on the island of Mindanao. The tremors even reached Manado, which is approximately 420 kilometres from the epicentre.
A number of buildings collapsed, while hospitals, schools, roads and homes suffered damage. The earthquake also triggered landslides and cut off electricity and water supplies in several areas.
A tsunami warning was briefly issued in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. A small tsunami wave was later detected before the warning was lifted.
The disaster caused dozens of deaths, more than 1,000 injuries and damage to tens of thousands of homes.
- Venezuela M7.5: Arrived 39 Seconds After the First Earthquake
The second-largest earthquake occurred in Venezuela on Wednesday (24/6/2026). The epicentre was approximately 17 kilometres west of Catia La Mar at a depth of only 10 kilometres.
This earthquake occurred only about 39 seconds after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck an area near San Felipe. The very short time interval led to the two events being described as a doublet earthquake.
The shaking damaged Caracas, La Guaira, Catia La Mar and several other areas in northern Venezuela. Multi-storey buildings, hospitals, roads, bridges and public facilities suffered severe damage.
Airports and transport services were temporarily halted, while electricity and communication networks experienced disruption. The death toll subsequently continued to rise until it reached thousands, making it one of the deadliest earthquake disasters of 2026.
The shallow earthquake was triggered by strike-slip movement near the boundary between the Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate. The movement caused two sections of the Earth’s crust to shift horizontally.
- Tonga M7.5: Very Strong, but Minimal Impact
A large magnitude is not always followed by major damage. This was evident when a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the waters of Tonga on Tuesday (24/3/2026).
The epicentre was approximately 158 kilometres west of Neiafu. However, the earthquake occurred deep within the Earth at a depth of approximately 234 kilometres.
That depth helped reduce the strength of the shaking that reached the surface. The USGS recorded that the earthquake was triggered by a normal faulting mechanism at intermediate depth.
Tongan authorities briefly asked residents in coastal and low-lying areas to move to higher ground. The warning was lifted about two hours later after no tsunami threat was found.
There were no reports of casualties or major damage from the earthquake.
- Colombia M7.4
The latest earthquake in Colombia occupies fourth place in the list of the world’s largest earthquakes in 2026, which has only been running for eight months.
With a magnitude of 7.4, the earthquake ranks below the Philippines M7.8 and the two M7.5 earthquakes in Venezuela and Tonga. Its strength is equivalent to the earthquakes that struck Japan and Indonesia in April 2026.
- Japan M7.4: With a Tsunami Threat
An earthquake of the same magnitude, 7.4, also struck the waters off the northeast coast of Japan. The earthquake occurred on Monday (20/4/2026), with the epicentre approximately 102 kilometres northeast of Miyako at a depth of about 25 kilometres.
The earthquake triggered a tsunami warning along the coasts of Iwate and Aomori Prefectures. Local authorities issued evacuation orders covering more than 176,000 residents.
A tsunami wave of about 80 centimetres was later detected along the coast. The tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory after the recorded wave was lower than initial estimates.
A number of high-speed train services were halted and several roads were closed for inspection. There were no initial reports of casualties or major damage, while nuclear facilities in the surrounding area were reported to remain safe.
- Bitung M7.4
Indonesia also made the list after a major earthquake struck the Maluku Sea on 2 April 2026.
The earthquake also had a magnitude of 7.4. Its epicentre was approximately 129 kilometres southeast of Bitung at a depth of 35 kilometres.
Strong shaking was felt in Bitung, Manado, Ternate and several areas in North Sulawesi and North Maluku. Initial BMKG parameters showed a different magnitude before being updated through further analysis.
The earthquake triggered a tsunami early warning. Waves were later detected in five areas with a maximum height of about 0.75 metres in North Minahasa.
At least one person died and several others were injured. Hundreds of buildings were also reported damaged, while coastal residents temporarily evacuated to higher ground.
The earthquake was triggered by rock deformation with a thrust faulting mechanism in the Maluku Sea region, which has a highly complex tectonic structure.
- Mexico M7.3: Felt in Two Neighbouring Countries
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake also struck the southern coast of Mexico on 17 July 2026. The epicentre was approximately 52 kilometres west of Puerto Madero, Chiapas State, at a depth of about 22 kilometres.
The shaking was felt as far as Guatemala and El Salvador. Residents in several cities rushed out of buildings, while the government activated emergency procedures to inspect the condition of homes, roads, bridges and public facilities.
A tsunami warning was issued for the southern coast of Mexico and Guatemala. Relevant authorities estimated sea level changes of about one metre in several areas.
Although the epicentre was relatively shallow, there were no reports of casualties or major damage. A number of aftershocks with magnitudes of 5 to 6 were recorded after the main earthquake.
- Vanuatu M7.3
Residents of Espiritu Santo Island at the end of the first quarter of this year also felt a major jolt when a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Vanuatu on Monday (30/3/2026).
The epicentre was approximately 51 kilometres northeast of Luganville, the second-largest city in the island nation. The earthquake was recorded at a depth of about 120.6 kilometres.
The USGS said the earthquake was triggered by an oblique-thrust faulting mechanism. The depth of the epicentre meant its surface impact was more limited.
There were no reports of casualties or major damage. The United States Tsunami Warning Center also confirmed that the earthquake did not pose a tsunami threat.
- San Felipe M7.2
Before the magnitude 7.5 earthquake devastated several areas of Venezuela, a first earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 occurred near San Felipe.
The earthquake took place on 24 June 2026, with the epicentre about 20 kilometres east of San Felipe. Its depth was only about 10 kilometres.
The first earthquake had already damaged and weakened the structure of a number of buildings. About 39 seconds later, the second, stronger earthquake magnified the damage and brought down buildings that had previously cracked.
Both earthquakes were triggered by strike-slip movement near the boundary between the Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate. The release of energy in two large earthquakes occurring almost simultaneously made the disaster impact even more widespread.
The death toll from the two earthquakes cannot be separated because the timing and affected areas were very close.
- Malaysia M7.1
The Malaysia earthquake was the deepest event among the ten largest earthquakes of 2026. Its epicentre was approximately 629 kilometres below the Earth’s surface.
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred beneath the Sabah region on Monday (23/2/2026) local time. Its location was approximately 57 kilometres northwest of Kota Belud.
Despite its large magnitude, the shaking that reached the surface was relatively limited because the epicentre was very deep. The tremors were only reported to be felt lightly in several areas of Sabah and the surrounding region.
There were no reports of major damage or casualties. The earthquake also did not pose a tsunami threat.