DRAKE PASSAGE, July 7 — A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck the Drake Passage early Tuesday, shaking the remote stretch of ocean between South America and Antarctica. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) detected the event at 01:26 UTC, reporting a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.
No tsunami warning was issued. That’s the practical upshot for anyone wondering whether this moderate quake posed a broader threat to coastal communities. In plain terms, a magnitude 5.9 is considered a moderate earthquake — strong enough to rattle the region near the epicenter and potentially cause minor to moderate damage, but not the kind of event that typically generates a dangerous wave.
The depth matters here. Think of it like this: a shallow earthquake is like slapping the surface of a table, while a deeper one is more like thumping it from underneath. At just 10 kilometers deep, Tuesday’s quake was a shallow event. Seismologists classify anything less than 70 kilometers deep as shallow, and those quakes generally produce stronger shaking at the surface than deeper ones of the same magnitude. That means the shaking, while moderate in scale, likely felt more intense for anyone in the immediate area.
This part of the Drake Passage is no stranger to seismic activity. According to the USGS, at least 44 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or greater have been recorded within about 300 kilometers of this location over the past two decades. The strongest was a magnitude 7.4 event in 2025 — a significantly larger quake that underscores the region’s active tectonic setting.
For context, the magnitude scale is logarithmic, so a 7.4 releases vastly more energy than a 5.9. But Tuesday’s quake was still sizable enough to be felt and to warrant attention from the global monitoring network.
The USGS detected the earthquake through its real-time global seismic monitoring network, which tracks tremors around the clock. That system allows scientists to quickly assess the size, location, and depth of events like this one, providing critical data for tsunami warnings and hazard assessments.
What happens next? Aftershocks are common following an earthquake of this size. Seismologists note that these secondary tremors may continue for days or even weeks. People in the affected area are generally advised to be prepared for further shaking.
The Drake Passage is one of the most remote and stormy stretches of ocean on the planet, with no permanent human settlements nearby. The practical upshot for most people is that this was a scientific event — one logged by the USGS and added to the region’s long seismic record. But for researchers, ships, or anyone operating in the area, the aftershock risk is real.
