M5.0 Earthquake 11 km SW of Ubinas, Peru — October 12, 2020
2020-10-12 21:02:56 UTC (2020-10-12) · approx. 4:02 PM UTC-5 local
On October 12, 2020 at 21:02 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck 11 km SW of Ubinas, Peru, at a depth of 129.4 km and coordinates -16.4785°, -70.9327°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Peru, a region characterized by the northern Peru-Chile subduction zone, complicated by the subduction of the Nazca Ridge. The nearest mapped fault system is the Peru-Chile Trench. View all earthquakes in Peru.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
-70.9327°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Ubinas, Peru?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 11 km SW of Ubinas, Peru on October 12, 2020 at 21:02 UTC had a depth of 129.4 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -16.4785°, -70.9327°, which is 11 km SW of Ubinas, Peru. View all earthquakes in Peru.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Peru had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Peru was the M8.0 Arequipa earthquake of June 23, 2001. Today's magnitude 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c7v8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 12, 2020). M5.0 Earthquake 11 km SW of Ubinas, Peru — October 12, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c7v8/