Balleny Islands, Antarctica — A magnitude 4.8 earthquake shook a remote stretch of the Southern Ocean early this morning, in one of the most isolated spots on the planet.

What happened: The quake struck at 2:49 a.m. CT on October 22, centered near the Balleny Islands — a chain of volcanic islands in the waters between New Zealand and Antarctica. It was a shallow event, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep.

Impacts: No people live anywhere near the epicenter, and the USGS has received no felt reports. No tsunami threat was issued. The Balleny Islands are uninhabited and rarely visited, so the shaking passed through an empty ocean.

What to do:

- There is no threat to populated areas from this quake.

- Mariners and research crews operating in the Southern Ocean should keep a standard eye on conditions, as shallow quakes can occasionally disturb the seafloor.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Oct. 22, 2026.