4.9

M4.9 Earthquake 105 km S of Matavai, Samoa — April 27, 2024

2024-04-27 17:23:09 UTC (2024-04-27) · approx. 6:23 AM UTC-11 local

MagnitudeM4.9(mb)
Time17:23 UTC≈ 6:23 AM UTC-11
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-14.970°, -171.818°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On April 27, 2024 at 17:23 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 105 km S of Matavai, Samoa, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -14.9705°, -171.8184°. This earthquake was detected by 54 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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -14.97°, -171.82°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.9 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-14.9705°N
-171.8184°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000mufa
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
369
Stations Used
54
Azimuthal Gap
113.0°
Min Station Distance
1.056°
RMS Residual
0.81 sec
Last Updated
2024-07-02 22:12:19 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Matavai, Samoa?

The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 105 km S of Matavai, Samoa on April 27, 2024 at 17:23 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 -14.9705°, -171.8184°, which is 105 km S of Matavai, Samoa.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000mufa). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, April 27, 2024). M4.9 Earthquake 105 km S of Matavai, Samoa — April 27, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000mufa/