M4.8 Earthquake near Azores-Cape St. Vincent Ridge — August 16, 2025
2025-08-16 16:28:39 UTC (2025-08-16) · approx. 3:28 PM UTC-1 local
On August 16, 2025 at 16:28 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Azores-Cape St. Vincent Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 37.7796°, -17.9371°. This earthquake was detected by 258 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
-17.9371°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Azores-Cape St. Vincent Ridge?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck near Azores-Cape St. Vincent Ridge on August 16, 2025 at 16:28 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 37.7796°, -17.9371°, which is near Azores-Cape St. Vincent Ridge.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000r1lu). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, August 16, 2025). M4.8 Earthquake near Azores-Cape St. Vincent Ridge — August 16, 2025. Retrieved November 4, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000r1lu/