USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

API

Real-time earthquake data API from the U.S. Geological Survey

Overview

The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program API provides RESTful access to real-time and historical earthquake data via endpoints like /query (event details), /count (event counts), and /catalogs (dataset listings). Responses support JSON, CSV, and XML formats with parameters for filtering by time range (past hour/day/week), magnitude thresholds, geographic bounds, and event types. Ideal use cases include building seismic monitoring apps, integrating emergency alert systems, academic research on seismic patterns, educational visualization tools, and risk assessment platforms leveraging reliable government-sourced data.

Example Integration (JavaScript)

script.js JS


fetch('https://earthquake.usgs.gov/fdsnws/event/1/')
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

Key Features

RESTful API
Real-time & historical data
JSON/CSV/XML support
No API key required
Geographic & magnitude filtering

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is USGS Earthquake Hazards Program API free to use?

Yes, it is completely free for both public and commercial use under USGS public data policies.

? Does it require an API Key?

No, authentication is not required to access any of the API endpoints.

? What is the response format?

Responses are available in JSON, CSV, and XML—specify the format using the 'format' parameter in your request.

Top Alternatives

EMSC-CSEM Earthquake API Search Google

GeoNet Earthquake API Search Google

Tool Info

Pricing Free

Category Science & Math

Platform Public API

Pros

⊕ Reliable government source
⊕ No authentication needed
⊕ Flexible query parameters
⊕ Multiple response formats

Cons

⊖ Rate limits for high-frequency queries
⊖ No webhooks (polling required for alerts)
⊖ Older historical data may have gaps