M5.1 Earthquake near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge — December 18, 2024
2024-12-18 00:29:08 UTC (2024-12-18) · approx. 9:29 PM UTC-3 local
On December 18, 2024 at 00:29 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 33.5889°, -38.5800°. This earthquake was detected by 37 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-38.5800°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge on December 18, 2024 at 00:29 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 33.5889°, -38.5800°, which is near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000nzp7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 18, 2024). M5.1 Earthquake near northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge — December 18, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000nzp7/