452 Earthquakes in 24 Hours: Global Seismic Activity Remains Moderate

The world recorded 452 earthquakes in the past 24 hours on 26 February 2026. Ten of them were above magnitude 5, and none crossed magnitude 6. The overall global seismic activity level stands at moderate. The total released energy equals a single magnitude 6.1 quake, which is significant but not extreme.

Global Numbers at a Glance

In total, 10 earthquakes measured 5.0 or higher. Around 36 crossed magnitude 4. More than 112 quakes were above magnitude 3. The remaining 294 were minor tremors above magnitude 2.

No earthquake reached magnitude 6 or more. That is important. It means there were no very large destructive shocks reported globally during this period.

Scientists estimate the total seismic energy released at 7.6 x 10^13 joules. That equals about 21.1 gigawatt hours of energy. In simple terms, it is similar to 18,196 tons of TNT. It may sound dramatic, but spread across the globe, it reflects moderate activity, not an extreme spike.

Strongest Quakes of the Day

The strongest earthquake in the last 24 hours measured 5.7 magnitude. It struck the North Pacific Ocean, about 183 km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy in Kamchatka, Russia. This region often sees seismic movement due to tectonic plate boundaries.

The second strongest was a 5.5 magnitude quake in the Bismarck Sea, near Madang in Papua New Guinea. That area lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, so activity there is common.

A 5.4 magnitude quake hit north of Ishqoshim in Tajikistan. Mountainous regions in Central Asia are also seismically active due to plate collisions.

Other notable magnitude 5 earthquakes occurred in the Philippine Sea near Japan, the South Pacific close to Tonga, another region of the North Pacific near Russia, Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, the Coral Sea near the Solomon Islands, Indonesia’s Indian Ocean region, and again in Kamchatka.

These quakes were moderate in strength. None reported catastrophic damage so far.

Most Felt Earthquakes

The earthquake that received the highest number of felt reports came from Myanmar’s Sagaing Region. The 5.1 magnitude tremor gathered 171 public reports. People clearly felt the shaking across nearby towns.

In Cyprus, a smaller 3.4 magnitude quake near Paphos received 97 reports. Even moderate quakes can feel strong if shallow and close to populated areas.

Morocco and Spain also recorded minor but noticeable tremors. A 3.0 magnitude quake near Al Hoceima in Morocco and a 3.3 magnitude tremor near Motril in Spain were both felt by dozens.

India saw two reported tremors. A 3.9 magnitude quake near Mancherial in Telangana and a 4.6 magnitude quake in West Sikkim were felt in surrounding regions. No major damage has been reported, but residents experienced light shaking.

In the United States, Kansas and California recorded minor quakes around magnitude 3.5. These are usually brief and cause little structural impact.

Activity Across Continents

Earthquakes were recorded in Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and the Pacific islands. Chile, Mexico, Costa Rica, Bangladesh, Timor-Leste, and Colombia all reported small tremors.

This wide spread shows how dynamic the Earth’s crust is. Plates constantly move, even if most of the time we do not notice.

The Pacific region remained the most active zone, which is expected due to the Ring of Fire. Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula alone recorded multiple magnitude 5 level quakes within hours.

What Moderate Really Means

A moderate global seismic level does not mean no risk. It simply indicates activity is within normal range for the planet. Earth experiences thousands of tremors daily, but most are too small to feel.

The absence of magnitude 6 or higher quakes is reassuring for now. Still, monitoring continues every hour. Seismic patterns can change fast.

Authorities and monitoring agencies keep updating data in real time. People in quake-prone regions should always stay prepared, even during quieter periods.

For 26 February 2026, the Earth has been active but controlled. Shaking happened across oceans and land, yet no extreme event has dominated the day. For now, the planet seems restless, but not furious.