M4.1 Earthquake 138 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga — September 22, 2020
2020-09-22 19:48:11 UTC (2020-09-22) · approx. 7:48 AM UTC-12 local
On September 22, 2020 at 19:48 UTC, a magnitude 4.1 deep-focus earthquake struck 138 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga, at a depth of 493.6 km and coordinates -19.4678°, -175.6273°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 21 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 406 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-175.6273°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.1 earthquake near Pangai, Tonga?
The magnitude 4.1 earthquake that struck 138 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga on September 22, 2020 at 19:48 UTC had a depth of 493.6 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 4.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.1 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c18e). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 22, 2020). M4.1 Earthquake 138 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga — September 22, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c18e/