Earthquakes in South Shetland Islands
Right now
The most recent data we hold from EMSC arrived 43 minutes ago, and this point is not in it. We record detections, not passes: an absence is not proof that nothing is there.
Nothing else has been detected within 20 km in the last 24 hours.
Reported by EMSC 170 days ago.
It is the 4th strongest of the 5 detections recorded within 20 km of this point since 19 March 2026. Another comparable one was recorded here earlier the same day. 4 more were recorded here in the fortnight before it.
What the source measured
EMSC reported: SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS
EMSC recorded magnitude 5.1 at a depth of -10 km.
The seismic region given by the source is SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS.
Nearby, since 19 March 2026
- March 20, 2026 · score 17 · 2.0 km
- March 20, 2026 · score 29 · 6.6 km
- March 19, 2026 · score 29 · 6.6 km
How we know
One source: EMSC. Not yet confirmed by a second, independent source.
Our own score for this event is 17 out of 100, at 65 % confidence.
The score is ours, computed from intensity, exposed population and local history — not the source’s.
Computed under scoring rules v1. Rows carrying other versions were judged by different rules and are not directly comparable.
Event Data
| Type | Earthquakes |
| Severity | Medium |
| Calamity Score (ours) | 17 / 100 |
| Our confidence | 65% |
| Coordinates | -61.1209, -56.1646 |
| Nearest City | Ushuaia (1000 km) |
| Impact Tier | minor |
| Timestamp | 2026-03-20T01:15:55.320Z |
| Source | https://www.seismicportal.eu/eventdetail.html?unid=20260320_0000020 |
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Mag | 5.1 |
| Depth | -10 |
| MagType | mb |
| Region | SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS |
| Auth | EMSC |
| SourceId | 1963543 |
Safety Information
If you feel shaking: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Move away from windows, heavy objects, and exterior walls. After shaking stops, check for injuries and structural damage. Be prepared for aftershocks, which can occur minutes to months after the mainshock. Follow instructions from local emergency management authorities.
Series begins 8 March 2026. Comparisons refer to that period only. Collection gap: 14-26 August 2026.
This data is aggregated algorithmically from scientific sources. Not a replacement for official emergency warnings.
Want to know when something happens in this area?
Calamity.live data shows a earthquake event with CalamityScore 17/100, in South Shetland Islands, based on data from emsc. Source: Calamity.live, a platform aggregating real-time data from 185 scientific monitoring sources.