3.1

M3.1 Earthquake 9 km S of Lares, Puerto RicoSeptember 12, 2021

2021-09-12 16:48:25 UTC (2021-09-12) · approx. 12:48 PM UTC-4 local

MagnitudeM3.1(md)
Time16:48 UTC12:48 PM UTC-4
Depth29.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates18.212°, -66.861°
Felt by1DYFI response
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 12, 2021 at 16:48 UTC, a magnitude 3.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 9 km S of Lares, Puerto Rico, at a depth of 29.0 km and coordinates 18.2120°, -66.8610°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 801 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 90 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 18.21°, -66.86°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M3.1 earthquake near 9 km S of Lares, Puerto Rico

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.1 md
Depth
29.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
18.2120°N
-66.8610°E
Felt Reports
1
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
2.0
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
pr2021255004
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
153
Stations Used
18
Azimuthal Gap
80.0°
Min Station Distance
0.172°
RMS Residual
0.16 sec
Last Updated
2022-08-08 14:36:41 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.1 earthquake near Lares, Puerto Rico?

The magnitude 3.1 earthquake that struck 9 km S of Lares, Puerto Rico on September 12, 2021 at 16:48 UTC had a depth of 29.0 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 3.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.1 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: pr2021255004). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, September 12, 2021). M3.1 Earthquake 9 km S of Lares, Puerto RicoSeptember 12, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr2021255004/