M4.2 Earthquake 133 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — December 16, 2022
2022-12-16 19:46:09 UTC (2022-12-16) · approx. 1:46 PM UTC-6 local
On December 16, 2022 at 19:46 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 133 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 14.4010°, -93.7723°.
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
-93.7723°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 133 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico on December 16, 2022 at 19:46 UTC had a depth of 10.0 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: us6000j9tw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 16, 2022). M4.2 Earthquake 133 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — December 16, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000j9tw/