3.8

M3.8 Earthquake 74 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands — September 6, 2020

2020-09-06 23:02:31 UTC (2020-09-06) · approx. 7:02 PM UTC-4 local

MagnitudeM3.8(md)
Time23:02 UTC≈ 7:02 PM UTC-4
Depth75.0 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates18.934°, -64.483°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 6, 2020 at 23:02 UTC, a magnitude 3.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck 74 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands, at a depth of 75.0 km and coordinates 18.9343°, -64.4828°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 8.4 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 265 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 18.93°, -64.48°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.8 md
Depth
75.0 km
intermediate depth
Location
18.9343°N
-64.4828°E

Technical Information

Event ID
pr2020250016
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
226
Stations Used
14
Azimuthal Gap
339.0°
Min Station Distance
1.579°
RMS Residual
0.48 sec
Last Updated
2020-11-17 19:44:48 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.8 earthquake near Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands?

The magnitude 3.8 earthquake that struck 74 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands on September 6, 2020 at 23:02 UTC had a depth of 75.0 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.8 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: pr2020250016). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 6, 2020). M3.8 Earthquake 74 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands — September 6, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr2020250016/