M5.0 Earthquake near Salta, Argentina — December 24, 2022
2022-12-24 20:02:09 UTC (2022-12-24) · approx. 4:02 PM UTC-4 local
On December 24, 2022 at 20:02 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck near Salta, Argentina, at a depth of 171.5 km and coordinates -24.0291°, -66.9033°. This earthquake was detected by 85 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-66.9033°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Salta, Argentina?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck near Salta, Argentina on December 24, 2022 at 20:02 UTC had a depth of 171.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -24.0291°, -66.9033°, which is near Salta, Argentina.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000jbh6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 24, 2022). M5.0 Earthquake near Salta, Argentina — December 24, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jbh6/