M6.5 Earthquake near South Shetland Islands — March 20, 2026
2026-03-20 00:22:04 UTC (2026-03-20) · approx. 8:22 PM UTC-4 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.9 (moderate).
On March 20, 2026 at 00:22 UTC, a magnitude 6.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck near South Shetland Islands, at a depth of 21.0 km and coordinates -61.1875°, -56.4033°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 127 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 650, making it a moderate-impact event.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 18 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Earthquake Details
-56.4033°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.5 earthquake near South Shetland Islands?
The magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck near South Shetland Islands on March 20, 2026 at 00:22 UTC had a depth of 21.0 km. For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -61.1875°, -56.4033°, which is near South Shetland Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.5 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months and gradually diminish over time.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000shlp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, March 20, 2026). M6.5 Earthquake near South Shetland Islands — March 20, 2026. Retrieved May 13, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000shlp/