M5.3 Earthquake south of the Kermadec Islands — January 18, 2021
2021-01-18 17:40:21 UTC (2021-01-18) · approx. 5:40 AM UTC-12 local
On January 18, 2021 at 17:40 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck south of the Kermadec Islands, at a depth of 24.8 km and coordinates -33.5281°, -179.1498°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-179.1498°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake south of the Kermadec Islands?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck south of the Kermadec Islands on January 18, 2021 at 17:40 UTC had a depth of 24.8 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -33.5281°, -179.1498°, which is south of the Kermadec Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000d15q). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, January 18, 2021). M5.3 Earthquake south of the Kermadec Islands — January 18, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000d15q/