Disaster Clock terms

This page

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods and wildfires from around the world, plus asteroids passing close to Earth — gathered on one screen exactly as the observing agencies published them. Four views: climate, space, armed conflict and pandemic.

We pull the USGS earthquake feed, the Smithsonian weekly volcano report, Pacific tsunami warning centre alerts, GDACS disaster alerts and overseas disaster news twice a day. The map shows where the ground shook today, which cells shook again and again, and how much of it sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire.

This is not a forecast. Nobody knows where the next earthquake will strike. Every number here counts something that has already happened and been observed.

How it is scored

Each item's count for the last 14 days is compared with the average for the same length of time over the past month, to see only how much above normal it is. Normal reads 23:00; twice normal adds 15 points per item (15 minutes closer to midnight).

Compared over 7 days, volcanoes always scored 0: the weekly volcano report publishes a whole week on one day, so if that report was 6 days ago the last 7 days show 0. That is why 14 days are used.

The Earth normally has about 600 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more a month. Calling that 'severe' would make a truly severe moment impossible to recognise.

How to use it

The Disaster Clock is a reference index only. For evacuation and safety, follow official agencies such as the Korea Meteorological Administration and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

These terms apply from 23 October 2026.