M4.8 Earthquake 4 km NNE of Orkney, South Africa — April 17, 2025
2025-04-17 08:57:28 UTC (2025-04-17) · approx. 10:57 AM UTC+2 local
On April 17, 2025 at 08:57 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km NNE of Orkney, South Africa, at a depth of 5.0 km and coordinates -26.9462°, 26.6944°. This earthquake was detected by 51 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
26.6944°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Orkney, South Africa?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 4 km NNE of Orkney, South Africa on April 17, 2025 at 08:57 UTC had a depth of 5.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -26.9462°, 26.6944°, which is 4 km NNE of Orkney, South Africa.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000q6px). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, April 17, 2025). M4.8 Earthquake 4 km NNE of Orkney, South Africa — April 17, 2025. Retrieved June 27, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000q6px/