M4.2 Earthquake 39 km SSW of Massawa, Eritrea — August 1, 2023
2023-08-01 21:06:29 UTC (2023-08-01) · approx. 12:06 AM UTC+3 local
On August 1, 2023 at 21:06 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 39 km SSW of Massawa, Eritrea, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 15.2573°, 39.3998°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
39.3998°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Massawa, Eritrea?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 39 km SSW of Massawa, Eritrea on August 1, 2023 at 21:06 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000kxcd). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, August 1, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake 39 km SSW of Massawa, Eritrea — August 1, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000kxcd/