M5.0 Earthquake north of Ascension Island — April 16, 2026
2026-04-16 21:46:21 UTC (2026-04-16) · approx. 8:46 PM UTC-1 local
On April 16, 2026 at 21:46 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck north of Ascension Island, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 0.0713°, -16.5394°. This earthquake was detected by 51 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.
Earthquake Details
-16.5394°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake north of Ascension Island?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck north of Ascension Island on April 16, 2026 at 21:46 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 0.0713°, -16.5394°, which is north of Ascension Island.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000sqn6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, April 16, 2026). M5.0 Earthquake north of Ascension Island — April 16, 2026. Retrieved July 3, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000sqn6/