M4.5 Earthquake 40 km S of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea — January 5, 2021
2021-01-05 17:31:47 UTC (2021-01-05) · approx. 3:31 AM UTC+10 local
On January 5, 2021 at 17:31 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 40 km S of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 66.2 km and coordinates -6.9230°, 147.9079°.
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.
The epicenter is located in Papua New Guinea, a region characterized by the collision and subduction of the Pacific, Australian, and Solomon Sea plates. View all earthquakes in Papua New Guinea.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
147.9079°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 40 km S of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea on January 5, 2021 at 17:31 UTC had a depth of 66.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -6.9230°, 147.9079°, which is 40 km S of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea. View all earthquakes in Papua New Guinea.
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.
Has Papua New Guinea had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Papua New Guinea was the M8.0 New Britain earthquake of July 18, 1971. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000d5ug). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, January 5, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake 40 km S of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea — January 5, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000d5ug/