4.6

M4.6 Earthquake in the Mauritius - Reunion regionJuly 29, 2023

2023-07-29 17:52:13 UTC (2023-07-29) · approx. 9:52 PM UTC+4 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time17:52 UTC9:52 PM UTC+4
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-20.204°, 66.249°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On July 29, 2023 at 17:52 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Mauritius - Reunion region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -20.2042°, 66.2488°. This earthquake was detected by 66 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -20.20°, 66.25°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-20.2042°N
66.2488°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000kyfw
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
66
Azimuthal Gap
55.0°
Min Station Distance
2.744°
RMS Residual
0.36 sec
Last Updated
2023-09-30 21:36:38 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake in the Mauritius - Reunion region?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck in the Mauritius - Reunion region on July 29, 2023 at 17:52 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 -20.2042°, 66.2488°, which is in the Mauritius - Reunion region.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000kyfw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, July 29, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake in the Mauritius - Reunion regionJuly 29, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000kyfw/