4.2

M4.2 Earthquake near Near the south coast of Papua, IndonesiaJanuary 17, 2023

2023-01-17 23:40:34 UTC (2023-01-17) · approx. 8:40 AM UTC+9 local

MagnitudeM4.2(mb)
Time23:40 UTC8:40 AM UTC+9
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-4.078°, 133.303°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On January 17, 2023 at 23:40 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Near the south coast of Papua, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -4.0783°, 133.3026°.

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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -4.08°, 133.30°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.2 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-4.0783°N
133.3026°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000jj7t
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
271
Stations Used
14
Azimuthal Gap
154.0°
Min Station Distance
1.559°
RMS Residual
0.87 sec
Last Updated
2023-03-31 19:43:20 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Near the south coast of Papua, Indonesia?

The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck near Near the south coast of Papua, Indonesia on January 17, 2023 at 23:40 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.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000jj7t). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 17, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake near Near the south coast of Papua, IndonesiaJanuary 17, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jj7t/