M5.2 Earthquake 244 km NE of Georgetown, Saint Helena — March 31, 2021
2021-03-31 10:09:00 UTC (2021-03-31) · approx. 9:09 AM UTC-1 local
On March 31, 2021 at 10:09 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 244 km NE of Georgetown, Saint Helena, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -6.5982°, -12.6464°.
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
-12.6464°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Georgetown, Saint Helena?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 244 km NE of Georgetown, Saint Helena on March 31, 2021 at 10:09 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 -6.5982°, -12.6464°, which is 244 km NE of Georgetown, Saint Helena.
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: us6000dxwj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, March 31, 2021). M5.2 Earthquake 244 km NE of Georgetown, Saint Helena — March 31, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000dxwj/