M8.1 Tsunami

2021 South Atlantic Earthquake

South Sandwich Islands — August 12, 2021

The 2021 South Sandwich Islands earthquake is among the largest recorded in the South Atlantic. The remote location minimized human impact, but the earthquake generated a detectable tsunami across the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean basins.

Earthquake Facts

Magnitude

M8.1

Date

Aug 12, 2021

Depth

22.79 km

Latitude

-58.375°

Longitude

-25.264°

Tsunami

Yes

Region

South Atlantic

Tectonic Cause

Subduction-related earthquake along the South Sandwich Trench where the South American Plate subducts beneath the Sandwich Plate.

Aftermath in Pictures

Photos from Wikimedia Commons — open licenses (CC / Public Domain)

Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under open licenses. Attribution required where specified. Click any image to enlarge.

Sources & Further Reading

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