3.4

M3.4 Earthquake 70 km NNW of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin IslandsDecember 29, 2023

2023-12-29 23:06:11 UTC (2023-12-29) · approx. 7:06 PM UTC-4 local

MagnitudeM3.4(md)
Time23:06 UTC7:06 PM UTC-4
Depth34.6 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates18.949°, -65.125°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 29, 2023 at 23:06 UTC, a magnitude 3.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 70 km NNW of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, at a depth of 34.6 km and coordinates 18.9493°, -65.1253°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2.1 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 140 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 18.95°, -65.13°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.4 md
Depth
34.6 km
shallow crustal
Location
18.9493°N
-65.1253°E

Technical Information

Event ID
pr71435708
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
181
Stations Used
16
Azimuthal Gap
249.0°
Min Station Distance
0.615°
RMS Residual
0.14 sec
Last Updated
2023-12-29 23:35:17 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.4 earthquake near Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands?

The magnitude 3.4 earthquake that struck 70 km NNW of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands on December 29, 2023 at 23:06 UTC had a depth of 34.6 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: pr71435708). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 29, 2023). M3.4 Earthquake 70 km NNW of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin IslandsDecember 29, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr71435708/