M5.0 Earthquake 106 km SW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — October 12, 2020
2020-10-12 04:17:33 UTC (2020-10-12) · approx. 10:17 PM UTC-6 local
On October 12, 2020 at 04:17 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 106 km SW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 14.6726°, -93.7508°.
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 Mexico, a region characterized by the Middle America Trench, where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Middle America Trench. View all earthquakes in Mexico.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
-93.7508°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 106 km SW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico on October 12, 2020 at 04:17 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 14.6726°, -93.7508°, which is 106 km SW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico. View all earthquakes in Mexico.
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 Mexico had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Mexico was the M8.1 Chiapas earthquake of September 8, 2017. Today's magnitude 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c8s9). 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 106 km SW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — October 12, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c8s9/