Balleny Islands, Southern Ocean —

What happened:

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck the Balleny Islands region early Wednesday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reports. The quake hit at 12:21 a.m. Central time, about 10 kilometers below the surface, in the remote island chain in the Southern Ocean south of New Zealand.

Impacts:

The Balleny Islands are uninhabited and far from any major city, and no shaking was reported in populated areas. The USGS has not issued a tsunami warning for this quake, and no damage reports have come in.

What to do:

If you ever feel the ground shake, drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table, and hold on until the shaking stops.

Stay away from windows and heavy objects that could fall.

After a quake, check for gas leaks, broken glass, and damaged wiring, and be ready for aftershocks, which can follow for hours or days.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), November 11, 2026.