M4.5 Earthquake 74 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia — December 12, 2021
2021-12-12 18:20:26 UTC (2021-12-12) · approx. 4:20 AM UTC+10 local
On December 12, 2021 at 18:20 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck 74 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia, at a depth of 93.0 km and coordinates 50.2584°, 156.9535°.
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 Russia, a region characterized by the Kuril-Kamchatka subduction zone on the northwestern Pacific Ring of Fire. The nearest mapped fault system is the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench. View all earthquakes in Russia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
156.9535°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 74 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia on December 12, 2021 at 18:20 UTC had a depth of 93.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 50.2584°, 156.9535°, which is 74 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia. View all earthquakes in Russia.
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 Russia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Russia was the M9.0 Kamchatka earthquake of November 4, 1952. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gbpv). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 12, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake 74 km SE of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia — December 12, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gbpv/