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M5.1 Depth: 59.6 km

M5.1 Earthquake near South Sandwich Islands region

UTC time: 2026-06-20 04:44:09 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On June 20, 2026 at 04:44 UTC, a magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred near South Sandwich Islands region. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 60 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

Magnitude
M5.1
Depth
59.6 km
UTC time
2026-06-20 04:44:09 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-57.99980, -25.48390
Temperature
-11.0°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 59.6 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 59.6 km
Shallow
59.6 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Tectonic context

Located on the Sandwich Plate.
Near the boundary Sandwich ↔ South America · about 92 km away

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Grytviken797.1 kmNW2

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Saunders
    Distance: 63 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 843 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·United Kingdom
  • Montagu Island
    Distance: 72 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'370 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·United Kingdom
  • Candlemas Island
    Distance: 124 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 550 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·United Kingdom
  • Bristol Island
    Distance: 128 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'100 m ·Last eruption: 2016 ·United Kingdom
  • Hodson
    Distance: 176 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 835 m ·United Kingdom
  • Southern Thule
    Distance: 189 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'075 m ·Last eruption: 1975 ·United Kingdom

Comparison of seismic sources

2 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.1 to M5.1.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.159.6 km0.0 km
USGSM5.159.6 km0.0 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#69
Earlier events M≥4152
Earlier events M≥5106
Compared since2025-01-03

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M6.52026-01-29 07:30:34 UTC1.9 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M6.02026-01-29 07:30:34 UTC20.5 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.92025-08-31 16:24:29 UTC46.6 kmSOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION M5.92025-08-31 16:24:28 UTC46.6 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.82026-02-16 14:52:52 UTC16.2 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
627
Country (24h)
—
—
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No recent events available.

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