M5.2 Earthquake 174 km NE of Tual, Indonesia — October 12, 2023
2023-10-12 06:18:41 UTC (2023-10-12) · approx. 3:18 PM UTC+9 local
On October 12, 2023 at 06:18 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 174 km NE of Tual, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -4.5721°, 133.9193°. This earthquake was detected by 68 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 416, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 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
133.9193°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Tual, Indonesia?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 174 km NE of Tual, Indonesia on October 12, 2023 at 06:18 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 -4.5721°, 133.9193°, which is 174 km NE of Tual, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 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 5.2 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000lf0q). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, October 12, 2023). M5.2 Earthquake 174 km NE of Tual, Indonesia — October 12, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000lf0q/