M5.3 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region — March 20, 2025
2025-03-20 12:04:21 UTC (2025-03-20) · approx. 10:04 AM UTC-2 local
On March 20, 2025 at 12:04 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the South Sandwich Islands region, at a depth of 117.9 km and coordinates -56.2513°, -27.0028°. This earthquake was detected by 87 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 432, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in South Sandwich Islands, a region characterized by the South Sandwich Trench, one of Earth's most remote subduction zones.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
-27.0028°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck in the South Sandwich Islands region on March 20, 2025 at 12:04 UTC had a depth of 117.9 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -56.2513°, -27.0028°, which is in the South Sandwich Islands region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000q001). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, March 20, 2025). M5.3 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region — March 20, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000q001/