M3.7 Earthquake 168 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands — December 14, 2023
2023-12-14 21:44:01 UTC (2023-12-14) · approx. 5:44 PM UTC-4 local
On December 14, 2023 at 21:44 UTC, a magnitude 3.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 168 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands, at a depth of 40.0 km and coordinates 19.7838°, -64.3256°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 5.9 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 226 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-64.3256°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.7 earthquake near Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands?
The magnitude 3.7 earthquake that struck 168 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands on December 14, 2023 at 21:44 UTC had a depth of 40.0 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 3.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.7 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: pr2023348003). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 14, 2023). M3.7 Earthquake 168 km NNE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands — December 14, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr2023348003/