M4.9 Earthquake 258 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia — December 31, 2023
2023-12-31 15:23:14 UTC (2023-12-31) · approx. 12:23 AM UTC+9 local
On December 31, 2023 at 15:23 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 258 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 4.0416°, 128.3381°. This earthquake was detected by 44 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 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
128.3381°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Tobelo, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 258 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia on December 31, 2023 at 15:23 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 4.0416°, 128.3381°, which is 258 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days 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 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000m0u9). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 31, 2023). M4.9 Earthquake 258 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia — December 31, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m0u9/