About EarthquakeTracker.org

EarthquakeTracker.org is dedicated to providing the public with accurate, timely, and comprehensive earthquake information. We believe that access to reliable seismic data is essential for public safety, emergency preparedness, and scientific understanding.

Our platform aggregates earthquake data from authoritative scientific sources, presents it in an accessible format, and provides educational resources to help individuals, families, and communities understand earthquake risks and prepare appropriately.

We are committed to:

• Accuracy: Presenting only verified data from trusted scientific institutions
• Timeliness: Delivering real-time earthquake alerts and updates
• Accessibility: Making complex seismic data understandable for general audiences
• Education: Providing comprehensive resources for earthquake preparedness
• Transparency: Clearly citing our data sources and methodology

EarthquakeTracker.org sources all earthquake data exclusively from authoritative government and scientific institutions. We do not generate, modify, or interpolate seismic data. Our role is to present official data in an accessible format.

United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Our primary data source is the United States Geological Survey (USGS), specifically their Earthquake Hazards Program. The USGS is a scientific agency of the United States government and is the world's leading authority on earthquake monitoring and research.

We access earthquake data through the official USGS Earthquake API (FDSN Event Web Service), which provides:

• Real-time earthquake detection data from the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS)
• Magnitude calculations using multiple methodologies (Ml, Mb, Mw, etc.)
• Hypocenter locations (latitude, longitude, and depth)
• ShakeMap intensity data and PAGER impact assessments
• "Did You Feel It?" (DYFI) community intensity reports
• Tsunami warning information when applicable

The USGS monitors earthquakes globally through a network of over 2,000 seismic stations operated by USGS, university partners, and international collaborators. Their data is updated continuously, typically within minutes of an earthquake occurring.

Data Update Frequency

Our website refreshes earthquake data at regular intervals to ensure timely information:

• Live earthquake feeds: Updated every 1-5 minutes
• Individual event pages: Revalidated every 5 minutes
• Regional summaries: Updated hourly
• Historical data: Accessed on-demand from USGS archives

Data Accuracy and Limitations

While we strive to present the most accurate information available, users should be aware of inherent limitations in earthquake data:

• Preliminary vs. Reviewed Data: Initial earthquake reports are automatically generated and may be revised by seismologists. Magnitude, location, and depth can change as more data becomes available.
• Detection Thresholds: Smaller earthquakes may not be detected in all regions, particularly in areas with sparse seismic network coverage.
• Timing: There is typically a delay of 1-5 minutes between an earthquake occurring and data becoming available through the USGS API.

EarthquakeTracker.org maintains strict editorial standards to ensure the quality and reliability of all content published on our platform.

Factual Accuracy

• All earthquake data is sourced directly from USGS and presented without modification
• Educational content is researched thoroughly and cross-referenced with scientific literature
• Statistics and claims are verified against authoritative sources
• We clearly distinguish between observed data and explanatory context

Source Attribution

• Data sources are clearly identified on all pages displaying earthquake information
• Direct links to original USGS event pages are provided for verification
• Educational content cites scientific sources where applicable

Corrections Policy

We are committed to correcting errors promptly. If you identify inaccurate information on our website, please contact us. Corrections will be made transparently, with acknowledgment of the original error when significant.

Independence

Our editorial content is produced independently. We do not accept payment or other consideration for favorable coverage. Any sponsored content or advertisements are clearly labeled as such. A fuller statement of our position on advertisers, sponsors, and affiliates is on our editorial standards page.

Content on EarthquakeTracker.org is written, reviewed, and maintained by the EarthquakeTracker editorial team — a small group responsible for the site's educational articles, fault profiles, historical event write-ups, preparedness guides, and the editorial scaffolding around our live-data pages. The scientific data itself (magnitudes, depths, coordinates, ShakeMap intensities) comes directly from USGS and is not written by us.

Our team is deliberately small and generalist rather than large and credentialed. We do not employ seismologists; we rely on authoritative primary sources — USGS fact sheets, peer-reviewed journals, and established reference works — and we cite them throughout the site. When a topic requires expert judgment that goes beyond what we can responsibly summarize, we link to the authoritative source rather than paraphrasing it.

Editorial decisions are made by the editorial team alone. No advertiser, sponsor, affiliate partner, or outside party has any influence over what we publish, and no outside party reviews content before publication. If this ever changes, we will disclose it prominently and update our editorial standards.

To contact the editorial team directly, email contact@earthquaketracker.org. For factual error reports, please use corrections@earthquaketracker.org so we can track them against the public correction log.

Running a large, continuously-updating site has real costs — hosting, API usage, domain, email, editorial time — and we cover those costs through advertising and, on specific preparedness-gear pages, affiliate links. We are transparent about both:

• Display advertising. When present, ads on this site are served through reputable ad networks (for example Google AdSense) and are clearly visually separated from editorial content, labelled where required, and never placed in a way that would confuse them with USGS data or editorial claims. Ads do not influence what we publish.
• Affiliate links. On certain preparedness-gear pages we may link to retailers under affiliate programs that pay us a small commission if you buy after clicking. Such links are disclosed at the point of encounter, as required by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and they do not change what we recommend or how we describe products.
• No paid placement. We do not accept payment to list a product, a utility, a fault, a historical event, or anything else on this site. Listing, ranking, and editorial framing are decided by the editorial team alone.

For details on how cookies set by our ad and analytics partners are handled, including opt-out links, see our cookie policy. For the data we handle about you directly, see our privacy policy.

Real-Time Earthquake Monitoring

Our platform provides access to real-time earthquake data from around the world. Users can view recent earthquakes on interactive maps, filter by magnitude, location, and time period, and access detailed information about individual seismic events.

Location-Specific Information

We provide dedicated pages for all 50 U.S. states, major cities, and countries worldwide, featuring:

• Recent earthquake activity in the region
• Historical seismic patterns
• Regional risk assessments
• Information about local fault lines
• Links to local emergency management resources

Educational Resources

Our comprehensive library of educational content covers:

• Earthquake science — How earthquakes occur, magnitude scales, seismic waves, and more
• Fault lines and tectonic plates — Detailed information about major fault systems
• Historical earthquakes — Accounts of significant seismic events throughout history
• Emergency preparedness — What to do before, during, and after an earthquake
• Emergency supplies — Recommended equipment and supplies for earthquake readiness
• Earthquake insurance — Understanding coverage options and considerations

Individual Event Details

For each recorded earthquake, we provide comprehensive details including:

• Magnitude and magnitude type (Ml, Mb, Mw, etc.)
• Precise location coordinates and depth
• Time of occurrence in multiple time zones
• Felt reports from the community
• Intensity maps when available
• PAGER alert levels for significant events
• Tsunami warning status
• Links to official USGS event pages

Earthquakes affect millions of people worldwide each year. While we cannot predict when or where earthquakes will occur, we can help people understand earthquake risks, stay informed about seismic activity, and prepare for potential events.

EarthquakeTracker.org is committed to:

• Accessibility: Providing free access to earthquake information for all users, regardless of technical background or expertise
• Clarity: Presenting complex scientific data in understandable terms without oversimplifying important nuances
• Responsibility: Avoiding sensationalism while still conveying the seriousness of earthquake hazards
• Continuous Improvement: Regularly updating our platform to incorporate new data sources, features, and educational content

We welcome feedback, corrections, and suggestions for improving our platform. Please reach out to us:

• General Inquiries: contact@earthquaketracker.org
• Data Corrections: corrections@earthquaketracker.org
• Media Inquiries: media@earthquaketracker.org

Please note that we are not able to provide earthquake predictions or personalized risk assessments. For location-specific risk information, we recommend consulting with local emergency management officials or geological surveys.