M5.0 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near South Sandwich Islands (South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands)

UTC time: 2026-06-16 13:36:52 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On June 16, 2026 at 13:36 UTC, a magnitude M5.0 earthquake occurred near South Sandwich Islands (South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands). With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by GFZ and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 km
10 km — shallower than the regional average (86.5 km)
Regional average: 86.5 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 114 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Grytviken614.8 kmW2

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Zavodovski
    Distance: 7 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 551 m ·Last eruption: 2016 ·United Kingdom
  • Hodson
    Distance: 49 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 835 m ·United Kingdom
  • Leskov Island
    Distance: 58 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 190 m ·United Kingdom
  • Protector Seamounts
    Distance: 62 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: -55 m ·Last eruption: 1962 ·United Kingdom
  • Candlemas Island
    Distance: 99 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 550 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·United Kingdom
  • Saunders
    Distance: 177 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 843 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·United Kingdom

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours3
First 24 hours3
First 72 hours5
Strongest subsequent eventM5.2

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#66
Earlier events M≥4131
Earlier events M≥579
Compared since2025-01-01

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

Strongest earlier events

Historic earthquake map · South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
668
Country (24h)
South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands
0
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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