M4.4 Earthquake 119 km NW of Copiapó, Chile — October 16, 2020
2020-10-16 23:36:55 UTC (2020-10-16) · approx. 6:36 PM UTC-5 local
On October 16, 2020 at 23:36 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 119 km NW of Copiapó, Chile, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -26.6885°, -71.2705°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 60 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 655 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-71.2705°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.4 earthquake near Copiapó, Chile?
The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck 119 km NW of Copiapó, Chile on October 16, 2020 at 23:36 UTC had a depth of 10.0 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 4.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.4 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c8vx). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 16, 2020). M4.4 Earthquake 119 km NW of Copiapó, Chile — October 16, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c8vx/