M3.9 Earthquake 59 km W of Ovalle, Chile — January 23, 2023
2023-01-23 22:35:21 UTC (2023-01-23) · approx. 5:35 PM UTC-5 local
On January 23, 2023 at 22:35 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 59 km W of Ovalle, Chile, at a depth of 28.5 km and coordinates -30.5562°, -71.8185°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 296 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-71.8185°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Ovalle, Chile?
The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 59 km W of Ovalle, Chile on January 23, 2023 at 22:35 UTC had a depth of 28.5 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000jisz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 23, 2023). M3.9 Earthquake 59 km W of Ovalle, Chile — January 23, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jisz/