M4.8 Earthquake 65 km E of Yilan, Taiwan — August 23, 2021
2021-08-23 10:56:38 UTC (2021-08-23) · approx. 6:56 PM UTC+8 local
On August 23, 2021 at 10:56 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 65 km E of Yilan, Taiwan, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 24.7034°, 122.4006°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — 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
122.4006°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Yilan, Taiwan?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 65 km E of Yilan, Taiwan on August 23, 2021 at 10:56 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 24.7034°, 122.4006°, which is 65 km E of Yilan, Taiwan. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 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 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000fa0k). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, August 23, 2021). M4.8 Earthquake 65 km E of Yilan, Taiwan — August 23, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000fa0k/