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M5.5 Earthquake near South Sandwich Islands Region

UTC time: 2026-02-17 03:36:40 UTC Local time: —
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
Archive record · original publication time was not recorded

Automatically generated from measurement data by QuakeMap24. Values may change after further analysis. How our reports are produced ↗

Magnitude
M5.5
Depth
10.0 km
Source
GFZ

South Sandwich Islands Region

Map

M5.5 Earthquake near South Sandwich Islands Region · 2026-02-17 — Map showing the location of the epicenter
M5.5 Earthquake near South Sandwich Islands Region · 2026-02-17 — Map showing the location of the epicenter

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.5 earthquake was recorded near South Sandwich Islands Region on February 17, 2026 at 03:36 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

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

Details

ID
a252c00430609f2e8c115a7f6b7c3fec5d2703b9
Magnitude
M5.5
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-02-17 03:36:40 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-57.34000, -30.21000
Temperature
2.0°C

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

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Grytviken519.8 kmNW2

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Leskov Island
    Distance: 147 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 190 m ·United Kingdom
  • Hodson
    Distance: 196 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 835 m ·United Kingdom
  • Zavodovski
    Distance: 198 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 551 m ·Last eruption: 2016 ·United Kingdom
  • Protector Seamounts
    Distance: 202 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: -55 m ·Last eruption: 1962 ·United Kingdom
  • Candlemas Island
    Distance: 215 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 550 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·United Kingdom
  • Saunders
    Distance: 228 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 843 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·United Kingdom

Comparison of seismic sources

2 sources currently report magnitudes from M4.9 to M5.5.

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

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
USPM4.910.0 km30.7 km
GFZM5.510.0 km0.0 km

No unambiguous area assignment

Context for this earthquake

This event has no unambiguous country assignment in the analysed catalogue. It is therefore not assigned to a regional profile.

Earthquake overview

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#1
Earlier events M≥45
Earlier events M≥54
Compared since2025-11-20

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.52026-02-17 03:36:37 UTC5.1 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.02025-11-20 12:08:41 UTC146.7 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.02026-01-12 02:26:47 UTC130.8 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.02026-01-12 02:26:44 UTC136.1 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M4.72026-01-12 02:27:10 UTC88.1 kmScotia Sea

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
485
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
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No recent events available.

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