M4.5 Earthquake 89 km ESE of Lajes das Flores, Portugal — December 18, 2020
2020-12-18 21:45:26 UTC (2020-12-18) · approx. 7:45 PM UTC-2 local
On December 18, 2020 at 21:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 89 km ESE of Lajes das Flores, Portugal, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 39.0085°, -30.2606°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-30.2606°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Lajes das Flores, Portugal?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 89 km ESE of Lajes das Flores, Portugal on December 18, 2020 at 21:45 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 39.0085°, -30.2606°, which is 89 km ESE of Lajes das Flores, Portugal.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000d1x6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 18, 2020). M4.5 Earthquake 89 km ESE of Lajes das Flores, Portugal — December 18, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000d1x6/