M4.9 Earthquake in the Santa Cruz Islands region — April 14, 2023
2023-04-14 14:50:42 UTC (2023-04-14) · approx. 1:50 AM UTC+11 local
Aftershock of the M5.2 mainshock.
On April 14, 2023 at 14:50 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Santa Cruz Islands region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -10.7227°, 164.7682°. This earthquake was detected by 68 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — 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 5.2 mainshock that occurred 8 days ago 126 km W of Lata, Solomon Islands. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
164.7682°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake in the Santa Cruz Islands region?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck in the Santa Cruz Islands region on April 14, 2023 at 14:50 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 -10.7227°, 164.7682°, which is in the Santa Cruz Islands region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.2 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred earlier 126 km W of Lata, Solomon Islands. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000k4hg). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, April 14, 2023). M4.9 Earthquake in the Santa Cruz Islands region — April 14, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000k4hg/