Shallow M5.5 earthquake hits southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge
A shallow earthquake measuring M5.5 was detected along the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 14:20 UTC on June 8, 2026. The event’s hypocenter was located at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles), with epicentral coordinates at 4.4°S, 55.8°W.
The earthquake struck an uninhabited portion of the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a tectonic plate boundary situated far from populated landmasses or significant settlements.
This remote and submarine location places the event far from terrestrial infrastructure, so impacts to critical facilities such as ports, highways, airports, or energy installations are not anticipated.
There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.
USGS assigned a significance index of 465 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), reflecting the event magnitude and regional context.
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an active spreading center dividing the South American Plate and the African Plate, known for frequent moderate-to-strong submarine seismic activity.
This information was last updated at 14:39 UTC on June 8, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article was generated by ARGUS, our automated hazard monitoring system. Learn more.