M4.6 Earthquake 82 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia — December 28, 2023
2023-12-28 19:45:29 UTC (2023-12-28) · approx. 6:45 AM UTC+11 local
On December 28, 2023 at 19:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 82 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -21.1089°, 168.5260°. This earthquake was detected by 38 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Earthquake Details
168.5260°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Tadine, New Caledonia?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 82 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia on December 28, 2023 at 19:45 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 -21.1089°, 168.5260°, which is 82 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000m2ia). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 28, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake 82 km NE of Tadine, New Caledonia — December 28, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m2ia/