5.9

M5.9 Earthquake west of Macquarie IslandNovember 29, 2025

2025-11-29 08:03:53 UTC (2025-11-29) · approx. 6:03 PM UTC+10 local

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MagnitudeM5.9(mww)
Time08:03 UTC6:03 PM UTC+10
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-52.366°, 151.808°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· green PAGER
green Alertno significant casualties or damage expected

On November 29, 2025 at 08:03 UTC, a magnitude 5.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck west of Macquarie Island, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -52.3660°, 151.8084°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 89 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 536, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 7.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

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Map showing earthquake epicenter at -52.37°, 151.81°

ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity

Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M5.9 earthquake near west of Macquarie Island

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.9 mww
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-52.3660°N
151.8084°E
Intensity (MMI)
0.0
weak

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000rekp
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
536
Stations Used
89
Azimuthal Gap
28.0°
Min Station Distance
4.769°
RMS Residual
0.57 sec
Last Updated
2026-02-25 16:18:37 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.9 earthquake west of Macquarie Island?

The magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck west of Macquarie Island on November 29, 2025 at 08:03 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 -52.3660°, 151.8084°, which is west of Macquarie Island.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.9 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

What should I do after an earthquake?

If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000rekp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, November 29, 2025). M5.9 Earthquake west of Macquarie IslandNovember 29, 2025. Retrieved May 24, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000rekp/