M4.0 Earthquake near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge — March 17, 2021
2021-03-17 19:16:05 UTC (2021-03-17) · approx. 6:16 PM UTC-1 local
On March 17, 2021 at 19:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -47.0496°, -13.5374°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-13.5374°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge on March 17, 2021 at 19:16 UTC had a depth of 10.0 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 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000dwey). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, March 17, 2021). M4.0 Earthquake near southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge — March 17, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000dwey/