4.3

M4.3 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region — August 7, 2020

2020-08-07 19:08:54 UTC (2020-08-07) · approx. 5:08 PM UTC-2 local

MagnitudeM4.3(mb)
Time19:08 UTC≈ 5:08 PM UTC-2
Depth70.6 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates-56.007°, -27.872°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On August 7, 2020 at 19:08 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the South Sandwich Islands region, at a depth of 70.6 km and coordinates -56.0074°, -27.8723°.

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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -56.01°, -27.87°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.3 mb
Depth
70.6 km
intermediate depth
Location
-56.0074°N
-27.8723°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000be03
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
284
Azimuthal Gap
87.0°
Min Station Distance
5.234°
RMS Residual
0.50 sec
Last Updated
2020-10-21 22:04:12 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region?

The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck in the South Sandwich Islands region on August 7, 2020 at 19:08 UTC had a depth of 70.6 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.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000be03). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 7, 2020). M4.3 Earthquake in the South Sandwich Islands region — August 7, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000be03/