M4.2 Earthquake near South Shetland Islands — February 13, 2021
2021-02-13 22:54:16 UTC (2021-02-13) · approx. 6:54 PM UTC-4 local
On February 13, 2021 at 22:54 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck near South Shetland Islands, at a depth of 19.3 km and coordinates -61.5858°, -55.0248°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-55.0248°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near South Shetland Islands?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck near South Shetland Islands on February 13, 2021 at 22:54 UTC had a depth of 19.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000dje2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, February 13, 2021). M4.2 Earthquake near South Shetland Islands — February 13, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000dje2/