M5.3 Earthquake 192 km N of Qalansīyah, Yemen — January 21, 2026
2026-01-21 01:05:49 UTC (2026-01-21) · approx. 5:05 AM UTC+4 local
On January 21, 2026 at 01:05 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 192 km N of Qalansīyah, Yemen, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 14.4218°, 53.6836°. This earthquake was detected by 107 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 432, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
53.6836°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Qalansīyah, Yemen?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 192 km N of Qalansīyah, Yemen on January 21, 2026 at 01:05 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 14.4218°, 53.6836°, which is 192 km N of Qalansīyah, Yemen.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000rr0g). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, January 21, 2026). M5.3 Earthquake 192 km N of Qalansīyah, Yemen — January 21, 2026. Retrieved April 18, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000rr0g/