4.1

M4.1 Earthquake 126 km ESE of Arica, Chile — October 20, 2020

2020-10-20 23:48:55 UTC (2020-10-20) · approx. 6:48 PM UTC-5 local

MagnitudeM4.1(mb)
Time23:48 UTC≈ 6:48 PM UTC-5
Depth135.9 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates-18.939°, -69.202°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On October 20, 2020 at 23:48 UTC, a magnitude 4.1 intermediate depth earthquake struck 126 km ESE of Arica, Chile, at a depth of 135.9 km and coordinates -18.9386°, -69.2021°.

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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -18.94°, -69.20°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.1 mb
Depth
135.9 km
intermediate depth
Location
-18.9386°N
-69.2021°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000caep
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
259
Azimuthal Gap
54.0°
Min Station Distance
0.666°
RMS Residual
1.20 sec
Last Updated
2020-12-29 23:08:07 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.1 earthquake near Arica, Chile?

The magnitude 4.1 earthquake that struck 126 km ESE of Arica, Chile on October 20, 2020 at 23:48 UTC had a depth of 135.9 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.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.1 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000caep). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 20, 2020). M4.1 Earthquake 126 km ESE of Arica, Chile — October 20, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000caep/