M5.1 Earthquake near Mid-Indian Ridge — December 16, 2021
2021-12-16 20:40:29 UTC (2021-12-16) · approx. 1:40 AM UTC+5 local
On December 16, 2021 at 20:40 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Mid-Indian Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -40.6075°, 78.3912°.
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
78.3912°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Mid-Indian Ridge?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck near Mid-Indian Ridge on December 16, 2021 at 20:40 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 -40.6075°, 78.3912°, which is near Mid-Indian Ridge.
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.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gcwv). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 16, 2021). M5.1 Earthquake near Mid-Indian Ridge — December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gcwv/