M5.3 Earthquake in the Chagos Archipelago region — July 27, 2020
2020-07-27 23:37:04 UTC (2020-07-27) · approx. 4:37 AM UTC+5 local
On July 27, 2020 at 23:37 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Chagos Archipelago region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -6.1440°, 70.3292°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
70.3292°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake in the Chagos Archipelago region?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck in the Chagos Archipelago region on July 27, 2020 at 23:37 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -6.1440°, 70.3292°, which is in the Chagos Archipelago region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000b53v). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, July 27, 2020). M5.3 Earthquake in the Chagos Archipelago region — July 27, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000b53v/