M4.5 Earthquake 23 km S of Yolöten, Turkmenistan — October 17, 2023
2023-10-17 19:17:35 UTC (2023-10-17) · approx. 11:17 PM UTC+4 local
On October 17, 2023 at 19:17 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 23 km S of Yolöten, Turkmenistan, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 37.0856°, 62.3305°. This earthquake was detected by 78 seismic stations with good 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
62.3305°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Yolöten, Turkmenistan?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 23 km S of Yolöten, Turkmenistan on October 17, 2023 at 19:17 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 37.0856°, 62.3305°, which is 23 km S of Yolöten, Turkmenistan.
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: us6000lg7a). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, October 17, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 23 km S of Yolöten, Turkmenistan — October 17, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000lg7a/