M5.1 Earthquake 61 km W of Cafayate, Argentina — September 5, 2026
2026-09-05 11:37:12 UTC (2026-09-05) · approx. 7:37 AM UTC-4 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.3 mainshock.
On September 5, 2026 at 11:37 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 61 km W of Cafayate, Argentina, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -26.1121°, -66.5901°. This earthquake was detected by 43 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.3 mainshock that occurred 23 days ago 61 km WNW of Cafayate, Argentina. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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
-66.5901°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Cafayate, Argentina?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 61 km W of Cafayate, Argentina on September 5, 2026 at 11:37 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 -26.1121°, -66.5901°, which is 61 km W of Cafayate, Argentina.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.3 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.1 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.3 mainshock that occurred earlier 61 km WNW of Cafayate, Argentina. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000tej2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 5, 2026). M5.1 Earthquake 61 km W of Cafayate, Argentina — September 5, 2026. Retrieved September 30, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000tej2/