M4.3 Earthquake 16 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan — December 27, 2023
2023-12-27 19:56:20 UTC (2023-12-27) · approx. 11:56 PM UTC+4 local
On December 27, 2023 at 19:56 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 16 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 34.4841°, 62.1198°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
62.1198°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Herāt, Afghanistan?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 16 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan on December 27, 2023 at 19:56 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000m01w). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 27, 2023). M4.3 Earthquake 16 km NNW of Herāt, Afghanistan — December 27, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m01w/