M4.9 Earthquake in the Ascension Island region — October 21, 2026
2026-10-21 11:24:16 UTC (4 days ago) · approx. 10:24 AM UTC-1 local
On October 21, 2026 at 11:24 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Ascension Island region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -6.8385°, -11.3498°. This earthquake was detected by 32 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-11.3498°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake in the Ascension Island region?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck in the Ascension Island region on October 21, 2026 at 11:24 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 -6.8385°, -11.3498°, which is in the Ascension Island region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000u4bp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, October 21, 2026). M4.9 Earthquake in the Ascension Island region — October 21, 2026. Retrieved October 23, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000u4bp/