M4.9 Earthquake near Kuril Islands — December 2, 2022
2022-12-02 00:29:47 UTC (2022-12-02) · approx. 10:29 AM UTC+10 local
Aftershock of the M5.4 mainshock.
On December 2, 2022 at 00:29 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 intermediate depth earthquake struck near Kuril Islands, at a depth of 70.4 km and coordinates 49.7468°, 155.8383°. This earthquake was detected by 100 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.4 mainshock that occurred 17 days ago 134 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
155.8383°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Kuril Islands?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck near Kuril Islands on December 2, 2022 at 00:29 UTC had a depth of 70.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 49.7468°, 155.8383°, which is near Kuril Islands.
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.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.4 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.4 mainshock that occurred earlier 134 km S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000j674). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 2, 2022). M4.9 Earthquake near Kuril Islands — December 2, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000j674/