M4.8 Earthquake 285 km W of Morondava, Madagascar — July 4, 2023
2023-07-04 16:59:48 UTC (2023-07-04) · approx. 7:59 PM UTC+3 local
On July 4, 2023 at 16:59 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 285 km W of Morondava, Madagascar, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -19.8142°, 41.6348°. This earthquake was detected by 64 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
41.6348°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Morondava, Madagascar?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 285 km W of Morondava, Madagascar on July 4, 2023 at 16:59 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 -19.8142°, 41.6348°, which is 285 km W of Morondava, Madagascar.
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: us6000kq2c). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, July 4, 2023). M4.8 Earthquake 285 km W of Morondava, Madagascar — July 4, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000kq2c/