M4.6 Earthquake near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge — December 15, 2021
2021-12-15 18:49:13 UTC (2021-12-15) · approx. 2:49 AM UTC+8 local
On December 15, 2021 at 18:49 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -49.0953°, 121.3642°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
121.3642°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge on December 15, 2021 at 18:49 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -49.0953°, 121.3642°, which is near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gdva). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 15, 2021). M4.6 Earthquake near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge — December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gdva/