M4.7 Earthquake near Baja California, Mexico — December 26, 2021
2021-12-26 18:43:31 UTC (2021-12-26) · approx. 10:43 AM UTC-8 local
On December 26, 2021 at 18:43 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Baja California, Mexico, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 29.9182°, -113.8046°.
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 Mexico, a region characterized by the Middle America Trench, where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Middle America Trench. View all earthquakes in California.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
-113.8046°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Baja California, Mexico?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck near Baja California, Mexico on December 26, 2021 at 18:43 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 29.9182°, -113.8046°, which is near Baja California, Mexico. View all earthquakes in Mexico.
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 Mexico had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Mexico was the M8.1 Chiapas earthquake of September 8, 2017. Today's magnitude 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gfhi). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 26, 2021). M4.7 Earthquake near Baja California, Mexico — December 26, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gfhi/