5.3

M5.3 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — June 16, 2021

2021-06-16 01:44:31 UTC (2021-06-16) · approx. 1:44 PM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM5.3(mww)
Time01:44 UTC≈ 1:44 PM UTC-12
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-31.621°, -177.166°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On June 16, 2021 at 01:44 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -31.6206°, -177.1656°.

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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -31.62°, -177.17°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.3 mww
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-31.6206°N
-177.1656°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000edee
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
432
Azimuthal Gap
37.0°
Min Station Distance
16.362°
RMS Residual
0.72 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 18:01:05 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region?

The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands region on June 16, 2021 at 01:44 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 -31.6206°, -177.1656°, which is in the Kermadec Islands region.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000edee). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, June 16, 2021). M5.3 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — June 16, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000edee/