A shallow magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the central Mid-Atlantic Ridge on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which recorded the quake at 05:44 UTC on October 13, 2026.

The USGS placed the earthquake’s depth at 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), classifying it as shallow. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) independently reported the same magnitude and depth, corroborating the USGS data.

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a vast underwater mountain chain that runs the length of the Atlantic Ocean, marking the boundary where the North American, South American, Eurasian and African tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart. Earthquakes along the ridge are frequent and are a normal product of this seafloor spreading, though a magnitude of 6.7 is considered significant.

Because the epicentre lies far from any coastline or populated landmass, no tsunami warning has been issued and no damage or casualties have been reported. Mid-ocean ridge earthquakes of this kind are rarely felt on land and do not typically pose a direct threat to coastal communities, including those in Sierra Leone and the wider West African sub-region.

Seismologists continue to monitor the region for aftershocks. This report will be updated as more information becomes available from the USGS and EMSC.