Reviewed by USGS24d ago
M6.2 earthquake in South Sandwich Islands region
Wednesday, September 2, 2026, 23:46:56 UTC · 56.073°S, 27.851°W
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck in South Sandwich Islands region on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, 23:46:56 UTC, at a depth of 111.0 km (intermediate). USGS received 2 “Did You Feel It?” reports, with a maximum reported intensity of II (weak). The USGS PAGER alert is green: low likelihood of casualties and damage. It is the strongest earthquake within 300 km since an M6.4 on July 11, 2026.
- Magnitude
- 6.2
- Strong · mww
- Depth
- 111 km
- Intermediate
- Felt reports
- 2
- Max intensity II
- Est. shaking
- IV
- Light (ShakeMap)
- PAGER alert
- Green
- Impact estimate
- Tsunami
- No flag
- USGS feed
Outlined circle: this earthquakeDashed circle: 100 km aftershock search areaColoured lines: estimated shaking intensity (USGS ShakeMap)
In context
How big was it, and why here?
Energy released
30 kilotons of TNT
That is about 2 times the Hiroshima bomb. It released about 63 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0.
Tectonic setting
106 km
from the nearest mapped plate boundary, between the Sandwich and South American plates. Earthquakes this far from a boundary happen on faults inside a plate, often less frequently but sometimes strongly.
Depth: intermediate
111 km
Intermediate-depth earthquakes usually break inside a plate that is sinking into the mantle. Shaking spreads over a wide area but is gentler at the epicenter than a shallow quake of the same size.
Did You Feel It?
Where it was felt
2 people reported feeling this earthquake to USGS; a per-place breakdown is not available yet. If you felt it, you can add your report on the USGS website.
I felt it — report to USGS ↗USGS PAGER estimate
Who was exposed to shaking
USGS publishes PAGER impact estimates for significant earthquakes, usually within an hour. No populated area was estimated to feel noticeable shaking.
After the main event
Aftershocks within 100 km
USGS lists 2 M2.5+ earthquakes within 100 km since this event; the largest was M5.0 on September 19, 2026. Most nearby activity right after a large earthquake is aftershocks, which usually become less frequent over days and weeks.
Regional history
Past M5+ earthquakes within 300 km
USGS lists 1,569 M5.0+ earthquakes within 300 km before this one (catalog from 1900; older records are less complete). The strongest:
- 8.12021 South Sandwich Islands EarthquakeAugust 12, 2021 · 300 km SE of this epicenter
- 8.11929 South Sandwich Islands EarthquakeJune 27, 1929 · 122 km NW of this epicenter
- 7.8South Sandwich Islands regionMay 26, 1964 · 30 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.5South Sandwich Islands regionAugust 12, 2021 · 239 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.4South Georgia Island regionAugust 19, 2016 · 267 km W of this epicenter
- 7.2South Sandwich Islands regionDecember 27, 1991 · 161 km E of this epicenter
- 7.2South Sandwich Islands regionMay 28, 2016 · 60 km E of this epicenter
- 7.1South Sandwich Islands regionSeptember 8, 1961 · 43 km SE of this epicenter
History · NOAA
Deadliest earthquakes in this area
NOAA’s significant-earthquake database lists 5 damaging, deadly or tsunami-generating earthquakes within 300 km of this epicenter since 1700. The most severe:
- 1929M8.1
South Sandwich Islands
27 Jun 1929 · 122 km away
- 1961M7.7
South Sandwich Islands
5 Sep 1961 · 220 km away
- 1961M7.7
South Sandwich Islands
8 Sep 1961 · 41 km away
- 2021M7.5
South Sandwich Islands
12 Aug 2021 · 234 km away
- 2016M7.4
South Sandwich Islands
19 Aug 2016 · 267 km away · intensity III
tsunami
NOAA NCEI Global Significant Earthquake Database. Historical figures are estimates; older records are incomplete.