M4.9 Earthquake 85 km NE of Sorong, Indonesia — December 18, 2021
2021-12-18 18:28:12 UTC (2021-12-18) · approx. 3:28 AM UTC+9 local
On December 18, 2021 at 18:28 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 85 km NE of Sorong, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -0.2793°, 131.7488°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — 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
131.7488°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Sorong, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 85 km NE of Sorong, Indonesia on December 18, 2021 at 18:28 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -0.2793°, 131.7488°, which is 85 km NE of Sorong, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 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 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gel2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 18, 2021). M4.9 Earthquake 85 km NE of Sorong, Indonesia — December 18, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gel2/