Back to map
M6.0 Depth: 10.0 km

M6.0 Earthquake near South Sandwich Islands (South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands)

UTC time: 2026-05-20 23:00:49 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M6.0 earthquake was recorded near South Sandwich Islands (South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands) on May 20, 2026 at 23:00 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

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

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
10 km — shallower than the regional average (86.5 km)
Regional average: 86.5 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
Grytviken621.2 kmW2

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Zavodovski
    Distance: 13 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 551 m ·Last eruption: 2016 ·United Kingdom
  • Hodson
    Distance: 42 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 835 m ·United Kingdom
  • Leskov Island
    Distance: 58 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 190 m ·United Kingdom
  • Protector Seamounts
    Distance: 69 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: -55 m ·Last eruption: 1962 ·United Kingdom
  • Candlemas Island
    Distance: 92 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 550 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·United Kingdom
  • Saunders
    Distance: 170 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 843 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·United Kingdom

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours2
First 24 hours6
First 72 hours6
Strongest subsequent eventM5.8
M5.72026-05-20 23:00:56 UTC49.1 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.82026-05-20 23:01:00 UTC45.2 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M4.72026-05-21 08:37:02 UTC39.0 kmSOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION M5.02026-05-21 08:37:03 UTC31.7 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M4.72026-05-21 08:37:05 UTC36.0 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M4.72026-05-21 08:37:05 UTC36.0 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M4.82026-05-28 15:07:48 UTC51.8 kmSOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION M4.72026-06-15 22:38:35 UTC119.2 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M4.92026-06-16 13:24:14 UTC130.2 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.02026-06-16 13:36:52 UTC7.5 kmSouth Sandwich Islands M5.02026-06-16 13:36:52 UTC7.9 kmTierra del Fuego M4.92026-06-16 17:13:06 UTC97.0 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#2
Earlier events M≥4121
Earlier events M≥576
Compared since2025-01-01

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.12025-01-01 13:48:24 UTC42.0 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.92025-03-14 23:42:32 UTC62.2 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.72025-03-27 00:41:25 UTC17.7 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.62025-09-13 04:32:03 UTC88.5 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.62025-06-10 04:07:23 UTC116.3 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region

Historic earthquake map · South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

Open history map
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
655
Country (24h)
South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands
0
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

Share