M4.7 Earthquake 175 km SW of Sechura, Peru — December 23, 2021
2021-12-23 23:02:30 UTC (2021-12-23) · approx. 6:02 PM UTC-5 local
On December 23, 2021 at 23:02 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 175 km SW of Sechura, Peru, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -6.4593°, -82.1218°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 km — 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
-82.1218°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Sechura, Peru?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 175 km SW of Sechura, Peru on December 23, 2021 at 23:02 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 -6.4593°, -82.1218°, which is 175 km SW of Sechura, Peru. View all earthquakes in Peru.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 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 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gexr). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 23, 2021). M4.7 Earthquake 175 km SW of Sechura, Peru — December 23, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gexr/