M5.1 Earthquake east of the South Sandwich Islands — June 20, 2025
2025-06-20 10:21:29 UTC (2025-06-20) · approx. 9:21 AM UTC-1 local
On June 20, 2025 at 10:21 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck east of the South Sandwich Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -60.6184°, -19.8862°. This earthquake was detected by 70 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 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
-19.8862°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake east of the South Sandwich Islands?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck east of the South Sandwich Islands on June 20, 2025 at 10:21 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 -60.6184°, -19.8862°, which is east of the South Sandwich Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000qlej). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, June 20, 2025). M5.1 Earthquake east of the South Sandwich Islands — June 20, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000qlej/