4.6

M4.6 Earthquake near NicaraguaOctober 17, 2022

2022-10-17 23:01:38 UTC (2022-10-17) · approx. 5:01 PM UTC-6 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time23:01 UTC5:01 PM UTC-6
Depth181.1 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates11.329°, -85.686°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On October 17, 2022 at 23:01 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 intermediate depth earthquake struck near Nicaragua, at a depth of 181.1 km and coordinates 11.3285°, -85.6861°. This earthquake was detected by 78 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 11.33°, -85.69°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
181.1 km
intermediate depth
Location
11.3285°N
-85.6861°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000iufg
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
78
Azimuthal Gap
77.0°
Min Station Distance
0.579°
RMS Residual
0.66 sec
Last Updated
2022-12-31 23:03:37 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Nicaragua?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck near Nicaragua on October 17, 2022 at 23:01 UTC had a depth of 181.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 11.3285°, -85.6861°, which is near Nicaragua.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000iufg). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, October 17, 2022). M4.6 Earthquake near NicaraguaOctober 17, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000iufg/