M4.0 Earthquake in the New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea — February 18, 2023
2023-02-18 21:33:10 UTC (2023-02-18) · approx. 7:33 AM UTC+10 local
On February 18, 2023 at 21:33 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 37.6 km and coordinates -5.6477°, 153.9648°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
153.9648°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake in the New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck in the New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea on February 18, 2023 at 21:33 UTC had a depth of 37.6 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 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000jrd4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, February 18, 2023). M4.0 Earthquake in the New Ireland region, Papua New Guinea — February 18, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000jrd4/