5.0

M5.0 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands regionSeptember 22, 2021

2021-09-22 19:57:23 UTC (2021-09-22) · approx. 7:57 AM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time19:57 UTC7:57 AM UTC-12
Depth352.5 kmdeep-focus
Coordinates-27.556°, -178.810°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 22, 2021 at 19:57 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 deep-focus earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region, at a depth of 352.5 km and coordinates -27.5559°, -178.8099°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -27.56°, -178.81°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
352.5 km
deep-focus
Location
-27.5559°N
-178.8099°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000fdlx
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Azimuthal Gap
81.0°
Min Station Distance
1.871°
RMS Residual
0.80 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 22:16:54 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands region on September 22, 2021 at 19:57 UTC had a depth of 352.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -27.5559°, -178.8099°, which is in the Kermadec Islands region.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000fdlx). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, September 22, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands regionSeptember 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000fdlx/