M5.1 Earthquake near Kuril Islands — October 17, 2021
2021-10-17 17:39:14 UTC (2021-10-17) · approx. 3:39 AM UTC+10 local
On October 17, 2021 at 17:39 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Kuril Islands, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 49.1472°, 155.9331°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
155.9331°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Kuril Islands?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck near Kuril Islands on October 17, 2021 at 17:39 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 49.1472°, 155.9331°, which is near Kuril Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000fvgx). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, October 17, 2021). M5.1 Earthquake near Kuril Islands — October 17, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000fvgx/