M4.5 Earthquake 31 km NNE of Esmeraldas, Ecuador — January 26, 2021
2021-01-26 22:58:04 UTC (2021-01-26) · approx. 5:58 PM UTC-5 local
On January 26, 2021 at 22:58 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 31 km NNE of Esmeraldas, Ecuador, at a depth of 39.9 km and coordinates 1.2170°, -79.5443°.
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
-79.5443°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Esmeraldas, Ecuador?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 31 km NNE of Esmeraldas, Ecuador on January 26, 2021 at 22:58 UTC had a depth of 39.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 1.2170°, -79.5443°, which is 31 km NNE of Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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: us6000de7j). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, January 26, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake 31 km NNE of Esmeraldas, Ecuador — January 26, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000de7j/