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M5.1 Depth: 34.4 km

M5.1 Earthquake near SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION

UTC time: 2025-12-28 04:36:20 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.1 earthquake was recorded near SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION on December 28, 2025 at 04:36 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 34 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by EMSC.

Details

Magnitude
M5.1
Depth
34.4 km
UTC time
2025-12-28 04:36:20 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-59.82230, -26.55010
Temperature
-0.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 34.4 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 34.4 km
Shallow
34.4 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
Grytviken859.9 kmNW2

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Southern Thule
    Distance: 57 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'075 m ·Last eruption: 1975 ·United Kingdom
  • Bristol Island
    Distance: 90 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'100 m ·Last eruption: 2016 ·United Kingdom
  • Montagu Island
    Distance: 153 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'370 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·United Kingdom
  • Saunders
    Distance: 225 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 843 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·United Kingdom
  • Candlemas Island
    Distance: 305 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 550 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·United Kingdom
  • Hodson
    Distance: 348 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 835 m ·United Kingdom

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#31
Earlier events M≥465
Earlier events M≥539
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.72025-12-17 17:06:01 UTC132.6 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.72025-12-17 17:05:57 UTC147.5 km M5.72025-03-20 06:30:19 UTC77.9 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.62025-12-17 17:05:56 UTC142.8 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.62025-07-30 09:24:37 UTC100.3 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
662
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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