M5.2 Earthquake near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge — August 17, 2020
2020-08-17 09:52:35 UTC (2020-08-17) · approx. 6:52 AM UTC-3 local
On August 17, 2020 at 09:52 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 15.2832°, -45.6982°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-45.6982°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge on August 17, 2020 at 09:52 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 15.2832°, -45.6982°, which is near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000bfwf). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 17, 2020). M5.2 Earthquake near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge — August 17, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000bfwf/