M4.6 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — December 17, 2021
2021-12-17 19:48:11 UTC (2021-12-17) · approx. 7:48 AM UTC-12 local
On December 17, 2021 at 19:48 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region, at a depth of 177.8 km and coordinates -28.7602°, -178.1197°.
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.
Earthquake Details
-178.1197°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands region on December 17, 2021 at 19:48 UTC had a depth of 177.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -28.7602°, -178.1197°, which is in the Kermadec Islands region.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gd8c). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 17, 2021). M4.6 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — December 17, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gd8c/