Drake Passage Earthquake: 7.5 Magnitude Quake Hits Region – Is There A Tsunami Warning?

Drake Passage Earthquake: A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit the Drake Passage region on Friday, with varying measurements reported by international seismology agencies.  

US Geological Survey Gives Details About Drake Passage Earthquake 

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake was initially recorded at magnitude 8 but later revised to magnitude 7.5. The tremor struck at a depth of 10.8 kilometres, based on USGS data.  

German Research Center’s Estimate Says 7.1 Magnitude 

The German Research Center for Geosciences offered a different assessment, placing the magnitude of the quake at 7.1.  

National Center for Seismology Report on Drake Passage Earthquake

India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported the earthquake as a magnitude 7.4 event, occurring at a depth of 36 kilometres. The NCS recorded the time of the quake as 7:46 am (IST).  

The earthquake occurred in the Drake Passage, a deep and wide waterway situated between South America’s Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. The passage connects the southwestern Atlantic Ocean with the southeastern Pacific Ocean.  

Where is Drake Passage?

Drake Passage is meeting point for currents from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans. Its waters are so rough that the usual stratified layers of the sea blend together, allowing the passage to pull significantly more carbon into its depths compared to many other ocean regions.

Globally, oceans absorb over 30% of the carbon released by human activity each year, and the Drake Passage is believed to be one of the few critical zones where this process is especially intense, National Geographic reported.

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