M5.0 Earthquake 85 km WNW of Kuqa, China — April 7, 2023
2023-04-07 12:17:05 UTC (2023-04-07) · approx. 5:17 PM UTC+5 local
On April 7, 2023 at 12:17 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 85 km WNW of Kuqa, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 41.9030°, 81.9281°. This earthquake was detected by 96 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
81.9281°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Kuqa, China?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 85 km WNW of Kuqa, China on April 7, 2023 at 12:17 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 41.9030°, 81.9281°, which is 85 km WNW of Kuqa, China.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000k2n0). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, April 7, 2023). M5.0 Earthquake 85 km WNW of Kuqa, China — April 7, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000k2n0/