M5.3 Earthquake 189 km WSW of Nabire, Indonesia — October 2, 2023
2023-10-02 08:58:37 UTC (2023-10-02) · approx. 5:58 PM UTC+9 local
On October 2, 2023 at 08:58 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 189 km WSW of Nabire, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -4.1801°, 134.0052°. This earthquake was detected by 107 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 432, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
134.0052°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Nabire, Indonesia?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 189 km WSW of Nabire, Indonesia on October 2, 2023 at 08:58 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -4.1801°, 134.0052°, which is 189 km WSW of Nabire, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000lc84). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, October 2, 2023). M5.3 Earthquake 189 km WSW of Nabire, Indonesia — October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000lc84/