M4.7 Earthquake 148 km WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia — September 23, 2020
2020-09-23 22:07:55 UTC (2020-09-23) · approx. 6:07 AM UTC+8 local
On September 23, 2020 at 22:07 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 148 km WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia, at a depth of 56.5 km and coordinates 2.1682°, 126.7510°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
126.7510°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Tobelo, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 148 km WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia on September 23, 2020 at 22:07 UTC had a depth of 56.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 2.1682°, 126.7510°, which is 148 km WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c0b1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 23, 2020). M4.7 Earthquake 148 km WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia — September 23, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c0b1/