count-earthquakes
Count earthquakes matching the given search parameters, without returning the events themselves. Useful for sizing a query before running it.
LABSCO SUMMARY
The count tool is the one that keeps a query from failing.
USGS caps a single query at 20,000 events, and a broad search — a whole region across twenty years — will run into it. Counting first turns that from a failed call into a decision about how to narrow the window.
What it is
A three-tool client for the USGS FDSN event web service. Search the catalog with the full parameter set, count matches before running a query, and pull the detailed record for one event including its origin quality metrics.
What you get
- find-earthquakes searches by time window, bounding box or radius, magnitude and depth, and returns a summary of each matching event
- count-earthquakes returns the number of matches without the events themselves, so a broad query can be sized before it is run
- find-earthquake-details returns the full record for one USGS event id, including origin quality metrics
- Ordinary questions map onto the parameters — a state's bounding box, a twenty-year window, a magnitude floor
Requirements
The npm package usgs-quakes-mcp over stdio, run with npx -y usgs-quakes-mcp or installed globally. Node.js 20 or newer. No API key: the USGS service is free and public. The upstream service caps any single query at 20,000 events, which is what count-earthquakes exists for.
Setup effort
One command — npx -y usgs-quakes-mcp
USE CASES
01
Finding earthquakes in a region over a period
Bounding box or radius, a date range, and a magnitude floor, answered from the official catalog.
02
Sizing a broad query before running it
Get the match count first, so a sweep does not run into the upstream result cap.
03
Getting the full detail on one event
Depth, felt reports, magnitude type and the origin quality metrics behind the location estimate.
3 tools
Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.
find-earthquake-details
Get detailed information about a single earthquake, including origin quality metrics, by its USGS event id (e.g. 'us6000d3zh').
find-earthquakes
Search the USGS earthquake catalog by time, location, magnitude, and depth. Returns a summary of each matching event.
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
3 tools when we connected. USGS caps any single query at 20,000 events; use count-earthquakes to check before running one.
Requires
npx on PATH
Where it runs
Both documented clients run the server on your machine.
CONTEXT COST
Light Standing cost
Rated by the size of the 3 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Server setup
TERMINAL
npx -y usgs-quakes-mcpMCP Clients
Claude Desktop
CLAUDE DESKTOP · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"usgs-quakes": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"usgs-quakes-mcp"
]
}
}
}Claude Code
CLAUDE CODE · TERMINAL
claude mcp add usgs-quakes -- npx -y usgs-quakes-mcp
