M4.5 Earthquake 195 km W of Cable Beach, Australia — May 12, 2023
2023-05-12 18:20:10 UTC (2023-05-12) · approx. 2:20 AM UTC+8 local
On May 12, 2023 at 18:20 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 195 km W of Cable Beach, Australia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -18.2690°, 120.3895°. This earthquake was detected by 19 seismic stations with good 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
120.3895°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Cable Beach, Australia?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 195 km W of Cable Beach, Australia on May 12, 2023 at 18:20 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 -18.2690°, 120.3895°, which is 195 km W of Cable Beach, Australia.
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: us6000kbib). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, May 12, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 195 km W of Cable Beach, Australia — May 12, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000kbib/