M4.5 Earthquake 5 km NW of Paján, Ecuador — May 13, 2023
2023-05-13 18:59:37 UTC (2023-05-13) · approx. 1:59 PM UTC-5 local
On May 13, 2023 at 18:59 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 5 km NW of Paján, Ecuador, at a depth of 49.2 km and coordinates -1.5139°, -80.4564°. This earthquake was detected by 71 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
-80.4564°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Paján, Ecuador?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 5 km NW of Paján, Ecuador on May 13, 2023 at 18:59 UTC had a depth of 49.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -1.5139°, -80.4564°, which is 5 km NW of Paján, Ecuador.
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: us6000kbqc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, May 13, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 5 km NW of Paján, Ecuador — May 13, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000kbqc/