Rare earthquake strikes Antarctica

November 4, 2007 A magnitude 5.8 earthquake has struck in a place where earthquakes are rare, but sometimes large.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), at 3:35 p.m (eastern time) the 5.8 quake struck in Antarctica, 105 kilometers (65 miles) south, southeast of Casey Station or 2565 kilometers (1590 miles) north of the South Pole. The quake was reported at a depth of 7.5 k.m. (4.7 miles), but the USGS says it was "poorly constrained."

Had any civilization existed on the frozen ice cap, the USGS says that damage could be "light to moderate."

Antarctica's biggest earthquake was a magnitude 8.1 which occurred on March 25, 1998 near the Balleny Islands of Antarctica.