M4.5 Earthquake 164 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia — December 13, 2021
2021-12-13 21:14:06 UTC (2021-12-13) · approx. 5:14 AM UTC+8 local
On December 13, 2021 at 21:14 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck 164 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia, at a depth of 72.9 km and coordinates 0.3669°, 120.6257°.
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 Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
120.6257°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Palu, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 164 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia on December 13, 2021 at 21:14 UTC had a depth of 72.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 0.3669°, 120.6257°, which is 164 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
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 Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gc07). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 13, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake 164 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia — December 13, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gc07/