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M5.2 Depth: 35.0 km

M5.2 Earthquake near SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION

UTC time: 2026-01-21 04:54:01 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On January 21, 2026 at 04:54 UTC, a magnitude M5.2 earthquake occurred near SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION. With a focal depth of about 35 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 EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Details

Magnitude
M5.2
Depth
35.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-21 04:54:01 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-59.38520, -25.90050
Temperature
1.3°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 35 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 35 km
Shallow
35 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
Grytviken857.6 kmNW2

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Bristol Island
    Distance: 55 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'100 m ·Last eruption: 2016 ·United Kingdom
  • Southern Thule
    Distance: 75 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'075 m ·Last eruption: 1975 ·United Kingdom
  • Montagu Island
    Distance: 108 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'370 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·United Kingdom
  • Saunders
    Distance: 179 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 843 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·United Kingdom
  • Candlemas Island
    Distance: 260 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 550 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·United Kingdom
  • Hodson
    Distance: 307 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 835 m ·United Kingdom

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#24
Earlier events M≥481
Earlier events M≥549
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.92025-08-31 16:24:29 UTC109.3 km M5.72025-12-17 17:06:01 UTC72.6 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.72025-12-17 17:05:57 UTC87.3 km M5.72025-12-08 18:41:11 UTC103.2 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.72025-03-20 06:30:19 UTC138.4 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
643
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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