M5.0 Earthquake in the South Georgia Island region — August 12, 2020
2020-08-12 07:39:42 UTC (2020-08-12) · approx. 5:39 AM UTC-2 local
On August 12, 2020 at 07:39 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the South Georgia Island region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -55.3679°, -35.9725°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-35.9725°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the South Georgia Island region?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck in the South Georgia Island region on August 12, 2020 at 07:39 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 -55.3679°, -35.9725°, which is in the South Georgia Island region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000bd68). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 12, 2020). M5.0 Earthquake in the South Georgia Island region — August 12, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000bd68/