M5.3 Earthquake near Drake Passage — February 27, 2026
2026-02-27 18:31:18 UTC (2026-02-27) · approx. 2:31 PM UTC-4 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations.
On February 27, 2026 at 18:31 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Drake Passage, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -60.2661°, -61.5252°. This earthquake was detected by 150 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.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-61.5252°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Drake Passage?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck near Drake Passage on February 27, 2026 at 18:31 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 -60.2661°, -61.5252°, which is near Drake Passage.
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.
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: us7000s0v7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, February 27, 2026). M5.3 Earthquake near Drake Passage — February 27, 2026. Retrieved May 20, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000s0v7/