4.6

M4.6 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — May 23, 2021

2021-05-23 23:08:10 UTC (2021-05-23) · approx. 11:08 AM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time23:08 UTC≈ 11:08 AM UTC-12
Depth66.2 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-28.510°, -177.325°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 23, 2021 at 23:08 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region, at a depth of 66.2 km and coordinates -28.5102°, -177.3245°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -28.51°, -177.32°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
66.2 km
shallow crustal
Location
-28.5102°N
-177.3245°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000efgs
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Azimuthal Gap
107.0°
Min Station Distance
27.694°
RMS Residual
0.52 sec
Last Updated
2021-07-31 22:09:04 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands region on May 23, 2021 at 23:08 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 -28.5102°, -177.3245°, which is in the Kermadec Islands region.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000efgs). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 23, 2021). M4.6 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — May 23, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000efgs/