M4.5 Earthquake 22 km WSW of Valdez, Ecuador — September 26, 2023
2023-09-26 19:25:02 UTC (2023-09-26) · approx. 2:25 PM UTC-5 local
On September 26, 2023 at 19:25 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 22 km WSW of Valdez, Ecuador, at a depth of 48.3 km and coordinates 1.1728°, -79.1733°. This earthquake was detected by 58 seismic stations with excellent 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
-79.1733°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Valdez, Ecuador?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 22 km WSW of Valdez, Ecuador on September 26, 2023 at 19:25 UTC had a depth of 48.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 1.1728°, -79.1733°, which is 22 km WSW of Valdez, 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: us6000layf). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, September 26, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 22 km WSW of Valdez, Ecuador — September 26, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000layf/