M5.5 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.5 Earthquake near Scotia Sea

UTC time: 2026-07-18 19:50:37 UTC Local time:
M5.5 earthquake near Scotia Sea on Jul 18, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.5 Earthquake near Scotia Sea · 2026-07-18 19:50:37 UTC

About this earthquake

On July 18, 2026 at 19:50 UTC, a magnitude M5.5 earthquake occurred near Scotia Sea. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

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

Details

Magnitude
M5.5
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-07-18 19:50:37 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-60.70660, -51.05590
Temperature
-0.6°C

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
Why depth matters

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

Depth classes per USGS

Estimated impact

Green No or minimal impact expected.

Ground shaking

III
Weak · Intensity (MMI) III
Felt by a few, no damage.

Tectonic context

Located on the Antarctica Plate.
Near the boundary Scotia ↔ Antarctica · about 15 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Stanley1084.7 kmNW2'213

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Bridgeman Island
    Distance: 337 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 240 m ·Antarctica
  • Melville
    Distance: 381 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 549 m ·Antarctica
  • Penguin Island
    Distance: 397 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 180 m ·Last eruption: 1905 ·Antarctica
  • Paulet
    Distance: 403 km ·Pyroclastic cone ·Elevation: 353 m ·Antarctica

Comparison of seismic sources

5 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.4 to M5.8.

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

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
USGSM5.510.0 km0.0 km
EMSCM5.610.0 km7.1 km
GFZM5.610.0 km5.1 km
RESIFM5.410.0 km28.4 km
INGVM5.814.8 km10.7 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#1
Earlier events M≥41
Earlier events M≥50
Compared since2025-01-10

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

Strongest earlier events

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
630
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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