M4.5 Earthquake 20 km W of Farkh?r, Afghanistan — May 20, 2022
2022-05-20 21:42:23 UTC (2022-05-20) · approx. 2:42 AM UTC+5 local
On May 20, 2022 at 21:42 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 20 km W of Farkh?r, Afghanistan, at a depth of 45.5 km and coordinates 36.5642°, 69.6313°. This earthquake was detected by 79 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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 Afghanistan, a region characterized by the Hindu Kush deep seismic zone, where remnant subducted lithosphere produces intermediate-depth earthquakes at 150-300 km. View all earthquakes in Afghanistan.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
69.6313°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Farkh?r, Afghanistan?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 20 km W of Farkh?r, Afghanistan on May 20, 2022 at 21:42 UTC had a depth of 45.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.5642°, 69.6313°, which is 20 km W of Farkh?r, Afghanistan. View all earthquakes in Afghanistan.
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 Afghanistan had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Afghanistan was the M7.5 Hindu Kush earthquake of October 26, 2015. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000hmsd). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, May 20, 2022). M4.5 Earthquake 20 km W of Farkh?r, Afghanistan — May 20, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000hmsd/