Latest earthquakes near South Africa today
Complete overview of the latest earthquakes near the country South Africa, updated every minute. Did you feel an earthquake today in South Africa? If an earthquake is happening right now near South Africa, it will show up within minutes.
South Africa Earthquake Statistics
Average
A total of 105 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of South Africa in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 10 earthquakes per year
A relatively large number of earthquakes occurred near South Africa in 2018. A total of 20 earthquakes (mag 4+) were detected within 300 km of South Africa that year. The strongest had a 4.6 magnitude.
Magnitude Distribution
The table below visualizes the distribution of all earthquakes that occurred within 300km of South Africa in the past 10 years. No earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or above have occurred near South Africa during this time. Usually, higher magnitudes are less common than lower magnitudes. Small earthquakes with a magnitude below 4 on the Richter scale have been omitted from this overview.
| Magnitude | Earthquakes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Mag. 4 | 103 | 98.1% |
| Mag. 5 | 2 | 1.9% |
| Mag. 6 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 7 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 8 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 9 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Strongest earthquakes near South Africa
The strongest recent earthquake of the past 10 years near South Africa occurred on Dec 22, 2024 02:51 local time (Africa/Johannesburg timezone). It had a magnitude of 5.2 and struck 271 kilometers (168 mi) south-west of Upington, at a depth of 10 km. Discover more strong earthquakes near South Africa in the list below.
A longer time ago, a MAG-6.8 earthquake struck on Dec 31, 1932 08:30, 120 kilometers (75 mi) south-west of Richards Bay. It is the strongest earthquake near South Africa in the past 126 years (Our data goes back to January 1st, 1900).
In the table below you will find the strongest earthquakes that occurred near South Africa in the past 10 years. You can use the tabs to find the heaviest historic earthquakes since the year 1900 or within a specific year or distance from South Africa.
Earthquakes by region of South Africa
Click the links below for earthquake reports for regions in South Africa.
- Eastern Cape (KwaXhosa)
- Gauteng (IGauteng)
- KwaZulu-Natal (KwaZulu-Natali)
- Limpopo
- Mpumalanga
- North-West
- Northern Cape
- Orange Free State (Free State)
- Western Cape
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are commonly asked in relation to earthquakes occurring near South Africa.
When was the last earthquake in South Africa?
A 2.4 magnitude earthquake hit near South Africa on the morning of May 15, 2026 at 06:40 local time (Africa/Johannesburg). The center of this earthquake was located 142km north-east of Witbank at a depth of 10km under land. Check the list on our website for any earthquakes occurring near South Africa in the past hours.
What was the strongest earthquake near South Africa?
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit near South Africa on the morning of December 31, 1932 at 08:30 local time (Africa/Johannesburg). The center of this earthquake was located 120km east-southeast of Richards Bay at a depth of 15km under water in the Indian Ocean. This is the strongest earthquake that occurred near South Africa since the year 1900.
How often do earthquakes occur near South Africa?
In the past 10 years, 105 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from South Africa. This averages to 11 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 35 days.
