4.8

M4.8 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands regionMay 12, 2024

2024-05-12 06:31:50 UTC (2024-05-12) · approx. 6:31 PM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM4.8(mb)
Time06:31 UTC6:31 PM UTC-12
Depth419.2 kmdeep-focus
Coordinates-28.357°, -179.743°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 12, 2024 at 06:31 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 deep-focus earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region, at a depth of 419.2 km and coordinates -28.3573°, -179.7431°. This earthquake was detected by 49 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -28.36°, -179.74°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.8 mb
Depth
419.2 km
deep-focus
Location
-28.3573°N
-179.7431°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000my11
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
354
Stations Used
49
Azimuthal Gap
61.0°
Min Station Distance
1.821°
RMS Residual
0.91 sec
Last Updated
2024-07-20 22:20:08 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region?

The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands region on May 12, 2024 at 06:31 UTC had a depth of 419.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -28.3573°, -179.7431°, which is in the Kermadec Islands region.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000my11). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, May 12, 2024). M4.8 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands regionMay 12, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000my11/