M5.2 Earthquake 169 km NNW of Bosaso, Somalia — March 20, 2025
2025-03-20 03:56:15 UTC (2025-03-20) · approx. 6:56 AM UTC+3 local
On March 20, 2025 at 03:56 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 169 km NNW of Bosaso, Somalia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 12.7672°, 48.7853°. This earthquake was detected by 150 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 416, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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
48.7853°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Bosaso, Somalia?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 169 km NNW of Bosaso, Somalia on March 20, 2025 at 03:56 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 12.7672°, 48.7853°, which is 169 km NNW of Bosaso, Somalia.
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: us6000pzw2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, March 20, 2025). M5.2 Earthquake 169 km NNW of Bosaso, Somalia — March 20, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pzw2/