M4.9 Earthquake near Halmahera, Indonesia — December 16, 2022
2022-12-16 04:24:44 UTC (2022-12-16) · approx. 1:24 PM UTC+9 local
On December 16, 2022 at 04:24 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Halmahera, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 2.2456°, 129.2921°. This earthquake was detected by 37 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.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
129.2921°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Halmahera, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck near Halmahera, Indonesia on December 16, 2022 at 04:24 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 2.2456°, 129.2921°, which is near Halmahera, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
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.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000j9mi). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 16, 2022). M4.9 Earthquake near Halmahera, Indonesia — December 16, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000j9mi/