M4.3 Earthquake 131 km N of Lae, Papua New Guinea — August 12, 2020
2020-08-12 22:37:53 UTC (2020-08-12) · approx. 8:37 AM UTC+10 local
On August 12, 2020 at 22:37 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 intermediate depth earthquake struck 131 km N of Lae, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 182.8 km and coordinates -5.5541°, 147.1928°.
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
147.1928°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Lae, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 131 km N of Lae, Papua New Guinea on August 12, 2020 at 22:37 UTC had a depth of 182.8 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: us6000bgke). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 12, 2020). M4.3 Earthquake 131 km N of Lae, Papua New Guinea — August 12, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000bgke/