M4.2 Earthquake near Sicily, Italy — December 8, 2022
2022-12-08 20:26:34 UTC (2022-12-08) · approx. 9:26 PM UTC+1 local
On December 8, 2022 at 20:26 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Sicily, Italy, at a depth of 11.6 km and coordinates 37.0247°, 14.6762°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
14.6762°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Sicily, Italy?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck near Sicily, Italy on December 8, 2022 at 20:26 UTC had a depth of 11.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000j80a). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 8, 2022). M4.2 Earthquake near Sicily, Italy — December 8, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000j80a/