M4.5 Earthquake 68 km NE of Bandar Abbas, Iran — November 20, 2023
2023-11-20 15:37:56 UTC (2023-11-20) · approx. 7:37 PM UTC+4 local
On November 20, 2023 at 15:37 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 68 km NE of Bandar Abbas, Iran, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 27.6649°, 56.7135°. This earthquake was detected by 87 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.
The epicenter is located in Iran, a region characterized by the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, where the Arabian Plate collides with Eurasia at 20-25 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Zagros Fault. View all earthquakes in Iran.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
56.7135°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Bandar Abbas, Iran?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 68 km NE of Bandar Abbas, Iran on November 20, 2023 at 15:37 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 27.6649°, 56.7135°, which is 68 km NE of Bandar Abbas, Iran. View all earthquakes in Iran.
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.
Has Iran had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Iran was the M7.8 Tabas earthquake of September 16, 1978. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000lpmb). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, November 20, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 68 km NE of Bandar Abbas, Iran — November 20, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000lpmb/