M5.6 Earthquake 57 km SSW of Surab, Pakistan — August 12, 2020
2020-08-12 22:40:45 UTC (2020-08-12) · approx. 2:40 AM UTC+4 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.4 (very strong).
On August 12, 2020 at 22:40 UTC, a magnitude 5.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 57 km SSW of Surab, Pakistan, at a depth of 14.0 km and coordinates 28.0443°, 65.9578°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Surab (population 13,104).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 4 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 4.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 4,229,475 |
| MMI 4 | light | 793,576 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 89,605 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 10,416 |
Earthquake Details
65.9578°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Surab, Pakistan?
The magnitude 5.6 earthquake that struck 57 km SSW of Surab, Pakistan on August 12, 2020 at 22:40 UTC had a depth of 14.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 28.0443°, 65.9578°, which is 57 km SSW of Surab, Pakistan. The nearest populated place is Surab (population 13,104).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.6 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000bdq8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 12, 2020). M5.6 Earthquake 57 km SSW of Surab, Pakistan — August 12, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000bdq8/