M4.5 Earthquake 48 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan — April 16, 2021
2021-04-16 16:21:49 UTC (2021-04-16) · approx. 12:21 AM UTC+8 local
On April 16, 2021 at 16:21 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 48 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan, at a depth of 20.3 km and coordinates 23.9189°, 122.0725°.
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 Taiwan, a region characterized by the collision of the Luzon volcanic arc with the Eurasian continental margin, where the Philippine Sea Plate converges at 80 mm per year. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
122.0725°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Hualien City, Taiwan?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 48 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan on April 16, 2021 at 16:21 UTC had a depth of 20.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 23.9189°, 122.0725°, which is 48 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.
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 Taiwan had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Taiwan was the M7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake of September 21, 1999. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000e24g). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, April 16, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake 48 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan — April 16, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000e24g/