M5.0 Earthquake near South Shetland Islands — April 9, 2026
2026-04-09 21:59:20 UTC (2026-04-09) · approx. 5:59 PM UTC-4 local
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On April 9, 2026 at 21:59 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck near South Shetland Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -61.0002°, -55.9732°.0 This earthquake was detected by 41 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from submitted citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-55.9732°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near South Shetland Islands?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck near South Shetland Islands on April 9, 2026 at 21:59 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 -61.0002°, -55.9732°, which is near South Shetland Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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: us6000sntm). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, April 9, 2026). M5.0 Earthquake near South Shetland Islands — April 9, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000sntm/