M5.1 Earthquake 223 km SW of Dunhuang, China — February 13, 2023
2023-02-13 18:38:49 UTC (2023-02-13) · approx. 12:38 AM UTC+6 local
On February 13, 2023 at 18:38 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 223 km SW of Dunhuang, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 38.8964°, 92.6730°. This earthquake was detected by 96 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
92.6730°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Dunhuang, China?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 223 km SW of Dunhuang, China on February 13, 2023 at 18:38 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 38.8964°, 92.6730°, which is 223 km SW of Dunhuang, China.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000jnm7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, February 13, 2023). M5.1 Earthquake 223 km SW of Dunhuang, China — February 13, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jnm7/