M5.3 Earthquake near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge — July 16, 2026
2026-07-16 20:21:52 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 7:21 PM UTC-1 local
On July 16, 2026 at 20:21 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -12.6871°, -14.7175°. This earthquake was detected by 94 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
-14.7175°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge on July 16, 2026 at 20:21 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 -12.6871°, -14.7175°, which is near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
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
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000t14v). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 16, 2026). M5.3 Earthquake near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge — July 16, 2026. Retrieved July 16, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000t14v/