5.2

M5.2 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands regionMarch 30, 2022

2022-03-30 06:02:24 UTC (2022-03-30) · approx. 4:02 AM UTC-2 local

MagnitudeM5.2(mb)
Time06:02 UTC4:02 AM UTC-2
Depth35.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-58.095°, -25.420°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 30, 2022 at 06:02 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the South Sandwich Islands region, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates -58.0950°, -25.4204°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

The epicenter is located in South Sandwich Islands, a region characterized by the South Sandwich Trench, one of Earth's most remote subduction zones.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -58.09°, -25.42°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.2 mb
Depth
35.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-58.0950°N
-25.4204°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000gyb8
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
416
Azimuthal Gap
41.0°
Min Station Distance
7.258°
RMS Residual
1.10 sec
Last Updated
2022-06-04 20:42:23 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region?

The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck in the South Sandwich Islands region on March 30, 2022 at 06:02 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -58.0950°, -25.4204°, which is in the South Sandwich Islands region.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000gyb8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, March 30, 2022). M5.2 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands regionMarch 30, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000gyb8/