M4.5 Earthquake 12 km S of Basotu, Tanzania — April 9, 2023
2023-04-09 23:33:06 UTC (2023-04-09) · approx. 1:33 AM UTC+2 local
On April 9, 2023 at 23:33 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 12 km S of Basotu, Tanzania, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -4.4776°, 35.0866°. This earthquake was detected by 38 seismic stations with excellent 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.
Earthquake Details
35.0866°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Basotu, Tanzania?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 12 km S of Basotu, Tanzania on April 9, 2023 at 23:33 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 -4.4776°, 35.0866°, which is 12 km S of Basotu, Tanzania.
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.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000k35q). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, April 9, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 12 km S of Basotu, Tanzania — April 9, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000k35q/