M4.3 Earthquake 140 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga — July 18, 2020
2020-07-18 19:27:24 UTC (2020-07-18) · approx. 7:27 AM UTC-12 local
On July 18, 2020 at 19:27 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 140 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga, at a depth of 16.4 km and coordinates -15.2153°, -172.7274°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-172.7274°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Hihifo, Tonga?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 140 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga on July 18, 2020 at 19:27 UTC had a depth of 16.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000b3dn). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, July 18, 2020). M4.3 Earthquake 140 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga — July 18, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000b3dn/