Magnitude 5.9 earthquake — west of Macquarie Island
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near west of Macquarie Island at a depth of about 10 km. Details, shaking intensity and any tsunami information are on the USGS event page.
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Macquarie Island is a remote Australian territory in the Southern Ocean, located roughly midway between mainland Australia and Antarctica. It is known for its wildlife, particularly large populations of penguins and seals.
The region sits on a geologically active zone where the Earth's tectonic plates meet and continuously shift. Earthquakes are common in this area as a result, though the island's isolation means there are typically no impacts on human populations.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake is classified as moderate to strong and would produce significant shaking in the immediate area. Such events are routinely monitored by seismic networks to improve understanding of tectonic activity in remote ocean regions.