M4.5 Earthquake 30 km NE of Salcabamba, Peru — March 12, 2024
2024-03-12 22:04:52 UTC (2024-03-12) · approx. 5:04 PM UTC-5 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations.
On March 12, 2024 at 22:04 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 30 km NE of Salcabamba, Peru, at a depth of 10.2 km and coordinates -11.9866°, -74.6082°. This earthquake was detected by 32 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 Peru, a region characterized by the northern Peru-Chile subduction zone, complicated by the subduction of the Nazca Ridge. The nearest mapped fault system is the Peru-Chile Trench. View all earthquakes in Peru.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-74.6082°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Salcabamba, Peru?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 30 km NE of Salcabamba, Peru on March 12, 2024 at 22:04 UTC had a depth of 10.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -11.9866°, -74.6082°, which is 30 km NE of Salcabamba, Peru. View all earthquakes in Peru.
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 Peru had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Peru was the M8.0 Arequipa earthquake of June 23, 2001. 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: us6000mihq). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, March 12, 2024). M4.5 Earthquake 30 km NE of Salcabamba, Peru — March 12, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000mihq/