M5.3 Earthquake near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge — May 17, 2021
2021-05-17 01:09:56 UTC (2021-05-17) · approx. 9:09 AM UTC+8 local
On May 17, 2021 at 01:09 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -49.1461°, 127.0838°.
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
127.0838°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge on May 17, 2021 at 01:09 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 -49.1461°, 127.0838°, which is near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge.
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
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000e3n8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 17, 2021). M5.3 Earthquake near western Indian-Antarctic Ridge — May 17, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000e3n8/