USGS · August 21, 2026
Magnitude 5.4 earthquake — South Sandwich Islands region
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake was recorded near South Sandwich Islands region on Aug 21, 2026, 01:06 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC), at a depth of about 152.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSShaking IIIPAGER GreenIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:16 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 5.4 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- South Sandwich Islands region
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 21, 2026, 01:06 PM — UTC
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-21 13:06 UTC
- Depth
- 152.0 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -58.837, -26.552
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Estimated shaking
- III · Weak
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 449 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 72 seismic stations used · 29° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Estimated instrumental shaking III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
No populated places over 1,000 inhabitants are listed within 100 km of the epicentre.
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
1 other event within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near South Sandwich Islands region
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the South Sandwich Islands region earthquake?
Magnitude 5.4 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 152.0 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Exactly when did it happen?
Aug 21, 2026, 01:06 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC). In universal time: 2026-08-21 13:06 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
No populated places over 1,000 inhabitants lie within 100 km of the epicentre.
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 8.1 (2021 South Sandwich Islands Earthquake, 2021), and 1 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.