M4.6 Earthquake 75 km ESE of Palca, Peru — October 22, 2021
2021-10-22 11:06:09 UTC (2021-10-22) · approx. 6:06 AM UTC-5 local
On October 22, 2021 at 11:06 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 75 km ESE of Palca, Peru, at a depth of 3.4 km and coordinates -17.9200°, -69.2653°.
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.
The epicenter is located in Peru, a region characterized by the northern Peru-Chile subduction zone, complicated by the subduction of the Nazca Ridge. The nearest mapped fault system is the Peru-Chile Trench. View all earthquakes in Peru.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Earthquake Details
-69.2653°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Palca, Peru?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 75 km ESE of Palca, Peru on October 22, 2021 at 11:06 UTC had a depth of 3.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -17.9200°, -69.2653°, which is 75 km ESE of Palca, Peru. View all earthquakes in Peru.
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.
Has Peru had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Peru was the M8.0 Arequipa earthquake of June 23, 2001. Today's magnitude 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000fwr0). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, October 22, 2021). M4.6 Earthquake 75 km ESE of Palca, Peru — October 22, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000fwr0/