3.9

M3.9 Earthquake 49 km ESE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands — October 11, 2020

2020-10-11 22:27:53 UTC (2020-10-11) · approx. 6:27 PM UTC-4 local

MagnitudeM3.9(md)
Time22:27 UTC≈ 6:27 PM UTC-4
Depth73.0 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates18.188°, -64.348°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On October 11, 2020 at 22:27 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 intermediate depth earthquake struck 49 km ESE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands, at a depth of 73.0 km and coordinates 18.1878°, -64.3480°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 10.0 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 287 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 18.19°, -64.35°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.9 md
Depth
73.0 km
intermediate depth
Location
18.1878°N
-64.3480°E

Technical Information

Event ID
pr2020285020
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
232
Stations Used
14
Azimuthal Gap
202.0°
Min Station Distance
1.502°
RMS Residual
0.46 sec
Last Updated
2020-12-19 17:22:46 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands?

The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 49 km ESE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands on October 11, 2020 at 22:27 UTC had a depth of 73.0 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 3.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: pr2020285020). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 11, 2020). M3.9 Earthquake 49 km ESE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands — October 11, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr2020285020/