M4.9 earthquake — South Sandwich Islands region

An magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred South Sandwich Islands region on Sep 28, 2026 at 04:41 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 35 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M4.9 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 35.0 km |
| Coordinates | -57.650, -25.347 |
| Time | Sep 28, 04:41 UTC |
| Location | South Sandwich Islands region |
| USGS event ID | us6000ty2y |
What this magnitude typically means
Light earthquakes are felt by most people nearby but rarely cause damage. Distance, depth, and soil type determine whether a quake feels sharp or barely noticeable. Tremor does not compute a single local shaking figure here, because how strong a quake feels at any address depends on distance, depth and local geology — open the interactive globe to explore the ShakeMap and estimated intensity.
Nearby recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Distance | Time (UTC) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M5.1 | 5 km | Sep 28, 03:43 UTC | South Sandwich Islands region |
| M5.0 | 145 km | Sep 21, 21:37 UTC | South Sandwich Islands region |
| M5.0 | 160 km | Sep 27, 21:13 UTC | South Sandwich Islands region |
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.