M5.3 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.3 Earthquake near Rufiji, Pwani (Tanzania)

UTC time: 2026-01-20 17:11:39 UTC Local time: —

M5.3 earthquake near Rufiji on Jan 20, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24 — M5.3 Earthquake near Rufiji, Pwani (Tanzania) · 2026-01-20 17:11:39 UTC

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.3 earthquake was recorded near Rufiji, Pwani (Tanzania) on January 20, 2026 at 17:11 UTC. 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 RESIF and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Details

Magnitude

M5.3

Depth

10.0 km

UTC time

2026-01-20 17:11:39 UTC

Local time

—

Country

Tanzania

State

Pwani

City

Rufiji

County

Rufiji

Source

resif

Coordinates

-8.24020, 39.15192

Temperature

24.7°C

Map

Depth profile

Shallow

10 km

10 km — close to the regional average (10 km)

Regional average: 10 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

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation

Ikwiriri37.3 kmNW45'000

Dar es Salaam158.1 kmN5'383'728

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

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

First 6 hours1

First 24 hours1

First 72 hours1

Strongest subsequent eventM5.9

M5.92026-01-20 17:11:42 UTC20.9 kmTanzania

Historic earthquake map · Tanzania

Open history map

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

Country statistics · Tanzania

Country overview

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

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)

628

Country (24h)