1975 North Atlantic earthquake
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  | |
| UTC time | 1975-05-26 09:11:51 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 729431 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | May 26, 1975 |
| Local time | 10:11:51 |
| Magnitude | 7.9 Mw[1] 8.1 Ms |
| Depth | 33 km (21 mi)[1] |
| Epicenter | 35°58′N 17°39′W / 35.97°N 17.65°W[1] |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Total damage | Limited[2] |
| Max. intensity | MMI VI (Strong)[2] |
| Tsunami | 2.1 m (6.9 ft)[1] |
The 1975 North Atlantic earthquake occurred on May 26 at 09:11 UTC. The epicenter was located in the North Atlantic, in an area between the Azores, Iberian Peninsula, and Morocco. It had a magnitude of Mw 7.9, or Ms 8.1.[3]
This was an intraplate earthquake that was located about 200 km south of the Gloria Fault, the presumed boundary between the African plate and the Eurasia Plate. It had a right-lateral strike-slip focal mechanism and was unusually large for an oceanic strike-slip event.[4][5] Damage was reported in Madeira, which is about 250 km away.[6][7] A tsunami of 0.3 m in maximum water elevation was recorded in Lagos, Portugal and an eyewitness reported a 2 m (6 ft 7 in) wave height at Ponta Delgada in the Azores.[4]