Zambia earthquakes
No earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more has been located in Zambia in the past 30 days. The largest on record there is M6.5 12 km WNW of Chama, Zambia, May 1, 1919.
From the USGS, checked Thu, Sep 24, 2026, 5:10 PM UTC. Times are local to each quake. Outside the United States the catalog is complete from about magnitude 4.5; smaller quakes are listed where a network reported them.
Map
Where every quake below was located in Zambia. Select one for its page.
Past 30 days
Magnitude 2.5 and up, newest first.
None in the past 30 days. Most of Zambia’s quakes are small; the largest on record are below.
Largest on record in Zambia
The 25 largest in the USGS catalog since 1900, of magnitude 5 and up. Older magnitudes are estimates from historical accounts and early instruments.
By year
Every year the USGS catalog covers.
- 2020s2020202120222023202420252026
- 2010s2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
- 2000s2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
- 1990s1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
- 1980s1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
- 1970s1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
- 1960s1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
- 1950s1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
- 1940s1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
- 1930s1930193119321933193419351936193719381939
- 1920s1920192119221923192419251926192719281929
- 1910s1910191119121913191419151916191719181919
- 1900s1900190119021903190419051906190719081909
What this means
Magnitude measures the energy a quake releases: each step up is about 32 times more energy, so an M6 releases about a thousand times the energy of an M4. Intensity measures the shaking at one place, which depends on the distance, the depth and the ground. One quake has one magnitude and many intensities.
| Intensity | Shaking | What people notice |
|---|---|---|
| I | Not felt | Recorded by instruments only. |
| II to III | Weak | Felt by a few people at rest, mostly on upper floors; hanging objects may swing. |
| IV | Light | Felt indoors by many. Dishes, windows and doors rattle; like a heavy truck passing. |
| V | Moderate | Felt by nearly everyone; sleepers wake. Some dishes break and unstable objects tip over. |
| VI | Strong | Felt by all; heavy furniture moves, plaster cracks. Damage is slight. |
| VII | Very strong | Damage slight to moderate in ordinary buildings, considerable in poorly built ones. |
| VIII | Severe | Considerable damage in ordinary buildings, with partial collapse; chimneys and walls fall. |
| IX and up | Violent to extreme | Heavy damage even in well-designed buildings; many shifted off foundations. |
Did I just feel an earthquake?
A quake appears in these lists within minutes: a few for the US, up to twenty for a quake abroad. Search your town above, or open your state. If it was a quake, tell the USGS through its Did You Feel It? form. If shaking starts: drop, cover and hold on; stay indoors until it stops; near the coast, move to high ground after strong or long shaking without waiting for a warning.
Sources
Earthquakes, magnitudes, depths, shaking estimates and felt reports from the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, read from its live feeds and its catalog back to 1900. Tsunami messages from NOAA’s tsunami warning centers.