M4.5 Earthquake 41 km SW of Río Grande, Panama — January 22, 2023
2023-01-22 23:47:56 UTC (2023-01-22) · approx. 6:47 PM UTC-5 local
Aftershock of the M5.0 mainshock.
On January 22, 2023 at 23:47 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 41 km SW of Río Grande, Panama, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 7.4286°, -81.5713°. This earthquake was detected by 19 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred 18 days ago 29 km W of Río Grande, Panama. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 2 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
-81.5713°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Río Grande, Panama?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 41 km SW of Río Grande, Panama on January 22, 2023 at 23:47 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 7.4286°, -81.5713°, which is 41 km SW of Río Grande, Panama.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.5 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 29 km W of Río Grande, Panama. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000jkbv). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 22, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 41 km SW of Río Grande, Panama — January 22, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jkbv/