M4.8 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — April 16, 2023
2023-04-16 05:23:39 UTC (2023-04-16) · approx. 5:23 PM UTC-12 local
On April 16, 2023 at 05:23 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region, at a depth of 154.7 km and coordinates -31.3791°, -179.4427°. This earthquake was detected by 59 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-179.4427°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands region on April 16, 2023 at 05:23 UTC had a depth of 154.7 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -31.3791°, -179.4427°, which is in the Kermadec Islands region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000k4um). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, April 16, 2023). M4.8 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — April 16, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000k4um/