M5.2 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — December 10, 2021
2021-12-10 13:27:55 UTC (2021-12-10) · approx. 1:27 AM UTC-12 local
On December 10, 2021 at 13:27 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region, at a depth of 33.5 km and coordinates -31.5014°, -178.1747°.
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
-178.1747°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands region on December 10, 2021 at 13:27 UTC had a depth of 33.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -31.5014°, -178.1747°, which is in the Kermadec Islands region.
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: us6000gb6d). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 10, 2021). M5.2 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gb6d/