Shallow M5.6 earthquake hits southeast of Sovetabad, Azerbaijan
A shallow M5.6 earthquake hit 64 km (40 miles) southeast of Sovetabad, Azerbaijan at 09:05 UTC on April 8, 2026. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles), according to data published by USGS.
The coordinates place the epicenter at roughly 49.6°E, 38.8°N in the southeastern vicinity of Sovetabad, Azerbaijan. This area lies inland, within a region of varied terrain composed of rural villages and lightly populated settlements. No specific population data has been provided for the immediate area.
Given the location in southeastern Azerbaijan, critical infrastructure such as local highways, regional roads, energy distribution lines, and potentially small-scale industrial facilities may exist nearby. However, there are no large urban centers in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter.
There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its inland location and available data.
The significance index for this event is 482 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), determined from its magnitude and estimated impact. No felt reports or maximum intensity values have been provided.
Azerbaijan is located near the complex tectonic boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Arabian Plate. The region is part of the seismically active Caucasus mountains, where shallow and moderate-magnitude earthquakes are relatively common due to ongoing continental collision.
This information was last updated at 09:22 UTC on April 8, 2026.