M5.3 Earthquake near Scotia Sea — August 31, 2021
2021-08-31 22:40:28 UTC (2021-08-31) · approx. 7:40 PM UTC-3 local
On August 31, 2021 at 22:40 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Scotia Sea, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -61.1851°, -39.0952°.
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
-39.0952°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Scotia Sea?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck near Scotia Sea on August 31, 2021 at 22:40 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 -61.1851°, -39.0952°, which is near Scotia Sea.
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: us7000f6ft). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, August 31, 2021). M5.3 Earthquake near Scotia Sea — August 31, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000f6ft/