5.8

M5.8 Earthquake near Kuril IslandsOctober 11, 2021

2021-10-11 23:10:00 UTC (2021-10-11) · approx. 9:10 AM UTC+10 local

Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.1 (moderate).

MagnitudeM5.8(mww)
Time23:10 UTC9:10 AM UTC+10
Depth70.0 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates48.297°, 153.751°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· green PAGER
green Alertno significant casualties or damage expected

On October 11, 2021 at 23:10 UTC, a magnitude 5.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck near Kuril Islands, at a depth of 70.0 km and coordinates 48.2975°, 153.7509°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 8 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 6.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 48.30°, 153.75°

ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity

Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M5.8 earthquake near Kuril Islands

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Population exposure (USGS PAGER)

Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.

Shaking intensity (MMI)DescriptionPopulation exposed
MMI 3weak357
MMI 4light92

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.8 mww
Depth
70.0 km
intermediate depth
Location
48.2975°N
153.7509°E
Intensity (MMI)
4.1
moderate

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000ftu3
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
518
Azimuthal Gap
39.0°
Min Station Distance
5.429°
RMS Residual
0.98 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 22:24:42 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.8 earthquake near Kuril Islands?

The magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck near Kuril Islands on October 11, 2021 at 23:10 UTC had a depth of 70.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 48.2975°, 153.7509°, which is near Kuril Islands.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.8 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000ftu3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, October 11, 2021). M5.8 Earthquake near Kuril IslandsOctober 11, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000ftu3/