M4.0 Earthquake 72 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands — December 15, 2023
2023-12-15 20:42:41 UTC (2023-12-15) · approx. 4:42 PM UTC-4 local
On December 15, 2023 at 20:42 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 72 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, at a depth of 26.0 km and coordinates 18.9953°, -65.0011°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 13 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 320 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-65.0011°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 72 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands on December 15, 2023 at 20:42 UTC had a depth of 26.0 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 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: pr2023349003). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 15, 2023). M4.0 Earthquake 72 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands — December 15, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr2023349003/