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South Africa · Mpumalanga

M2.1 Earthquake near Steve Tshwete Local Municipality, Mpumalanga (South Africa)

UTC time: 2026-10-02 09:10:06 UTC Local time: —
Magnitude
M2.1
Depth
10.0 km
Source
EMSC

Mpumalanga · Steve Tshwete Local Municipality

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About this earthquake

A magnitude M2.1 earthquake was recorded near Steve Tshwete Local Municipality, Mpumalanga (South Africa) on October 2, 2026 at 09:10 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this small magnitude are usually barely noticeable and cause no damage.

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

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 — 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

South Africa

Context for this earthquake

04 Oct 2025 – 04 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 2.0 · 99 Catalogue entries

Of 98 other entries for this area and period, 77 have a higher stored magnitude. Different magnitude types and reports not yet merged limit the comparison.

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Stats (last 24h)

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