M5.0 Earthquake near Mid-Indian Ridge — December 16, 2021
2021-12-16 22:20:05 UTC (2021-12-16) · approx. 3:20 AM UTC+5 local
On December 16, 2021 at 22:20 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Mid-Indian Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -40.6575°, 78.1608°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
78.1608°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Mid-Indian Ridge?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck near Mid-Indian Ridge on December 16, 2021 at 22:20 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 -40.6575°, 78.1608°, which is near Mid-Indian Ridge.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gd26). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 16, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake near Mid-Indian Ridge — December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gd26/