On Friday Morning a Shallow M5.7 AFTERSHOCK struck in the South Atlantic Ocean 279km from Ushuaia (Argentina).

Written by Earthquakelist.org on May 2nd, 2025. Last updated May 19th, 2025.

In the South Atlantic Ocean 279 kilometer from Ushuaia, Argentina, a shallow and significant Magnitude 5.7 aftershock occurred in the morning of Friday May 2nd, 2025. Such earthquakes in regions like this usually have a minimal impact on people and the economy.

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Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the South Atlantic Ocean, 252 kilometers (157 mi) off the coast of Argentina, 279 kilometer south-southeast of Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	May 2, 2025 10:09 (Ushuaia Time) - May 2, 2025 13:09 Universal Time.
Location:	279 km SSE of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Coordinates 57°14'2"S 67°10'9"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.7 Detected by 110 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.057 .
Depth:	10 km (6 mi) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	IV Light On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.

Not many people felt this earthquake

This earthquake may have been felt by around 40 people. That is the expected population size of the area exposed to a level of shaking of II or higher on the Modified Mercalli scale according to the USGS.

Weak shaking and probably no damage may have been experienced by an estimated 40 people. At III, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused.

People in 2 countries have been exposed to shaking. In Chile , around 40 people, with impact levels up to III (weak shaking, probably no damage).

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Argentina . Located 279 kilometer (173 mi) south-southeast of the epicenter of this earthquake, Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) is the nearest significant population center.

Overview of nearby places

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is IV.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

This is likely an aftershock

This earthquake is likely an aftershock of the MAG-7.4 earthquake that struck 11 mins earlier. That main earthquake hit 81 km (50 mi) northwest of the epicenter of this MAG-5.7 aftershock.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

More earthquakes coming?

Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Earthquakes like this are common in the region

Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. In total, 3 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.7 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 3 years.

Low tsunami risk

Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Sources

Last updated 19/05/25 15:08 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.

1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000pwkz
2. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
3. Google Maps: Static API
4. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

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