03/19/2026

Samuel Clifford

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake occurred at the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. The South Shetland Islands have no permanent civilian population, but they do host a rotating group of scientists and support staff at several research stations. The estimated population is around 500 people, depending on the season. The earthquake was recorded at a shallow depth of about 10 km, which typically increases shaking intensity. As I was writing this a 5.1 magnitude earthquake occurred nearby at 9:15:55 pm EDT. So far, there have been no reports of injuries or damage. The US Tsunami Warning System said no tsunami is expected for the 6.7 magnitude earthquake. These islands frequently experience seismic events due to active tectonic interaction between the Antarctic and Scotia plates, making clusters of quakes relatively common.

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