M4.0 Earthquake 7 km SE of Carletonville, South Africa — October 16, 2021
2021-10-16 23:25:40 UTC (2021-10-16) · approx. 1:25 AM UTC+2 local
On October 16, 2021 at 23:25 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 7 km SE of Carletonville, South Africa, at a depth of 5.0 km and coordinates -26.3994°, 27.4612°.
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
27.4612°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Carletonville, South Africa?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 7 km SE of Carletonville, South Africa on October 16, 2021 at 23:25 UTC had a depth of 5.0 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: us6000fvb4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, October 16, 2021). M4.0 Earthquake 7 km SE of Carletonville, South Africa — October 16, 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000fvb4/