M3.4 Earthquake 4 km N of Sabana Eneas, Puerto Rico — March 16, 2023
2023-03-16 21:57:24 UTC (2023-03-16) · approx. 5:57 PM UTC-4 local
Felt by 10 people across nearby locations.
On March 16, 2023 at 21:57 UTC, a magnitude 3.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km N of Sabana Eneas, Puerto Rico, at a depth of 14.0 km and coordinates 18.1280°, -67.0830°. This earthquake was detected by 19 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 177, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1.6 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 123 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Puerto Rico, a region characterized by the Puerto Rico Trench oblique subduction zone and the Muertos Trough, with complex Caribbean–North American plate interactions. The nearest mapped fault system is the Puerto Rico Trench. View all earthquakes in Puerto Rico.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 10 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-67.0830°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.4 earthquake near Sabana Eneas, Puerto Rico?
The magnitude 3.4 earthquake that struck 4 km N of Sabana Eneas, Puerto Rico on March 16, 2023 at 21:57 UTC had a depth of 14.0 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 18.1280°, -67.0830°, which is 4 km N of Sabana Eneas, Puerto Rico. View all earthquakes in Puerto Rico.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Puerto Rico had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Puerto Rico was the M7.3 offshore earthquake of October 11, 1918. Today's magnitude 3.4 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: pr2023075002). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 16, 2023). M3.4 Earthquake 4 km N of Sabana Eneas, Puerto Rico — March 16, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr2023075002/