3.4

M3.4 Earthquake 46 km ENE of Punta Cana, Dominican RepublicMay 15, 2023

2023-05-15 23:51:58 UTC (2023-05-15) · approx. 6:51 PM UTC-5 local

MagnitudeM3.4(md)
Time23:51 UTC6:51 PM UTC-5
Depth51.9 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates18.777°, -68.016°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 15, 2023 at 23:51 UTC, a magnitude 3.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 46 km ENE of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, at a depth of 51.9 km and coordinates 18.7767°, -68.0160°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1.8 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 132 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 18.78°, -68.02°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.4 md
Depth
51.9 km
shallow crustal
Location
18.7767°N
-68.0160°E

Technical Information

Event ID
pr71409543
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
177
Stations Used
19
Azimuthal Gap
166.0°
Min Station Distance
0.433°
RMS Residual
0.95 sec
Last Updated
2023-05-16 01:05:07 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.4 earthquake near Punta Cana, Dominican Republic?

The magnitude 3.4 earthquake that struck 46 km ENE of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on May 15, 2023 at 23:51 UTC had a depth of 51.9 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 3.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.4 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: pr71409543). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, May 15, 2023). M3.4 Earthquake 46 km ENE of Punta Cana, Dominican RepublicMay 15, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr71409543/