M4.9 Earthquake 200 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands — February 20, 2021
2021-02-20 20:13:00 UTC (2021-02-20) · approx. 7:13 AM UTC+11 local
Aftershock of the M5.0 mainshock.
On February 20, 2021 at 20:13 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 200 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 46.3 km and coordinates -12.4700°, 166.2787°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred 10 days ago 201 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
166.2787°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Lata, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 200 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands on February 20, 2021 at 20:13 UTC had a depth of 46.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -12.4700°, 166.2787°, which is 200 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 201 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000djr9). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, February 20, 2021). M4.9 Earthquake 200 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands — February 20, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000djr9/