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M5.0 Depth: 111.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near South Sandwich Islands Region

UTC time: 2026-05-21 08:37:03 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.0 earthquake was recorded near South Sandwich Islands Region on May 21, 2026 at 08:37 UTC. The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 111 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Details

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
111.0 km
UTC time
2026-05-21 08:37:03 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-56.07000, -27.47000
Temperature
-2.5°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 111 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 111 km
Intermediate
111 km
Why depth matters

Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Grytviken606.9 kmW2

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Zavodovski
    Distance: 26 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 551 m ·Last eruption: 2016 ·United Kingdom
  • Protector Seamounts
    Distance: 47 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: -55 m ·Last eruption: 1962 ·United Kingdom
  • Hodson
    Distance: 74 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 835 m ·United Kingdom
  • Leskov Island
    Distance: 77 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 190 m ·United Kingdom
  • Candlemas Island
    Distance: 123 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 550 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·United Kingdom
  • Saunders
    Distance: 201 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 hours2
First 72 hours2
Strongest subsequent eventM5.2
M4.72026-05-21 08:37:05 UTC12.7 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M4.72026-05-21 08:37:05 UTC12.7 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M4.82026-05-28 15:07:48 UTC68.6 kmSOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION M4.72026-06-15 22:38:35 UTC95.5 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M4.92026-06-16 13:24:14 UTC119.9 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.02026-06-16 13:36:52 UTC25.6 kmSouth Sandwich Islands M5.02026-06-16 13:36:52 UTC25.2 kmTierra del Fuego M4.92026-06-16 17:13:06 UTC95.0 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.02026-06-16 17:13:08 UTC90.3 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M4.82026-06-16 17:13:10 UTC73.9 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M4.92026-06-17 19:48:25 UTC97.2 kmSOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION M5.22026-06-17 19:48:26 UTC88.9 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#66
Earlier events M≥4126
Earlier events M≥578
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 UTC60.5 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M6.02026-05-20 23:00:49 UTC31.7 kmSouth Sandwich Islands M5.92025-03-14 23:42:32 UTC37.5 kmSouth Sandwich Islands region M5.82026-05-20 23:01:00 UTC31.3 kmSouth Sandwich Islands Region M5.72026-05-20 23:00:58 UTC36.3 km

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
668
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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