M4.2 Earthquake 214 km W of Panguna, Papua New Guinea — November 21, 2020
2020-11-21 18:48:19 UTC (2020-11-21) · approx. 4:48 AM UTC+10 local
On November 21, 2020 at 18:48 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 214 km W of Panguna, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 18.4 km and coordinates -6.4921°, 153.5549°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
153.5549°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Panguna, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 214 km W of Panguna, Papua New Guinea on November 21, 2020 at 18:48 UTC had a depth of 18.4 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 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000csf4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, November 21, 2020). M4.2 Earthquake 214 km W of Panguna, Papua New Guinea — November 21, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000csf4/