Where is Drake passage located? USGS confirms 7.5 magnitude earthquake

A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Thursday, August 21, 2025. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initially measured the quake as magnitude 8, but later revised it down to magnitude 7.5. However, the German Research Center for Geosciences measured the earthquake magnitude as 7.1.

The earthquake, described by the disaster response service as having a "medium intensity," occurred at 11:16 p.m. local time in Argentina. It took place near the coastlines of Chile and Argentina at a depth of 6.7 miles (10.8 km), located at 60.26° S latitude and 61.85° W longitude.

The Drake Passage, also known as the "most dreaded bit of ocean on the globe" by Alfred Lansing in his 1959 book Endurance, is located between the southernmost tip of South America and Antarctica, connecting the southwestern Atlantic and southeastern Pacific Oceans.

According to Variety, the National Tsunami Warning Center reported that the recent earthquake at the Drake Passage posed a little risk of causing a tsunami in the U.S.

Chile's Navy Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service issued a warning for some areas of Antarctica after the earthquake struck 258 km (160 miles) northwest of the Base Frei site, per Reuters. However, no evacuation orders were issued in Chile or Argentina, despite being the closest countries to the earthquake.

A tsunami warning was also issued in May 2025 after the southern coast of Chile was hit by an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude. The Chilean President Gabriel Boric, at the time, stated:

"We call for evacuation of the coastline throughout the Magallanes region. At this time, our duty is to be prepared and heed the authorities. Regional and national COGRID (Cogrid of the Nationwide Risk Management System) is underway. All state resources are available."

Overview of the Drake Passage

KSR listener Cynthia called yesterday’s show after sailing through Drake’s passage.

Here’s what she saw on her trip before she called in with a firsthand Cape Horn report. pic.twitter.com/nXCv2mnmUz

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) February 14, 2025

The Drake Passage, which is about 600 miles wide and up to 6,000 meters deep, was named after the 16th-century English explorer and privateer Sir Francis Drake.

It takes about 48 hours to cross, during which voyagers face powerful currents and gigantic waves that can reach up to 15 meters (49 feet) during storms. These turbulent waters are often referred to as the "Drake Shake." However, the waves are around 4 to 5 meters high on average, per CNN.

Speaking about the waves, oceanographer Alexander Brearley said:

"In the middle of the Drake Passage the winds may have blown over thousands of kilometers to where you are. Kinetic energy is converted from wind into waves, and builds up storm waves."

He added:

"The Southern Ocean is very stormy in general [but] in the Drake you’re really squeezing [the water] between the Antarctic and the southern hemisphere. That intensifies the storms as they come through."

According to the outlet, a huge amount of water moves through the Drake Passage very quickly because it is a part of the biggest ocean current in the world, with up to "5,300 million cubic feet flowing per second."

Brearley, who regularly crosses the Drake Passage, claimed that he's never been scared while crossing it:

"I don’t think I’ve ever been really fearful, but it can be very unpleasant in terms of how rough it is."

It is worth noting that no damage or casualties were reported following the recent earthquake in the Drake Passage.