March 25, 1998 Earthquake: Balleny Islands, Antarctica

Name: March 25, 1998 Earthquake: Balleny Islands, Antarctica
Start: 1998-03-25
Location: Balleny Islands, Antarctica

March 25, 1998 · M8.1

A magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Balleny Islands, Antarctica on March 25, 1998 at 03:12:25 UTC, 10 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date: March 25, 1998
Time: 03:12:25 UTC
Place: Balleny Islands, Antarctica
Magnitude: 8.1 (Mw)
Focal depth: 10 km (6 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 62.877° S, 149.527° E
Country: Antarctica

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

1998, March 25. Believed to be the largest instrumentally

recorded earthquake in this area to date. (reference #1053)

Significant earthquakes of 1998 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1998 Recent earthquakes near here This day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5489.