M4.5 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region — August 26, 2025
2025-08-26 17:57:45 UTC (2025-08-26) · approx. 3:57 PM UTC-2 local
On August 26, 2025 at 17:57 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the South Sandwich Islands region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -60.4935°, -26.2138°. This earthquake was detected by 20 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — 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
Earthquake Details
-26.2138°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck in the South Sandwich Islands region on August 26, 2025 at 17:57 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -60.4935°, -26.2138°, which is in the South Sandwich Islands region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000qxe2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, August 26, 2025). M4.5 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region — August 26, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000qxe2/