M4.5 Earthquake 160 km ENE of Bitung, Indonesia — December 27, 2024
2024-12-27 17:30:08 UTC (2024-12-27) · approx. 1:30 AM UTC+8 local
On December 27, 2024 at 17:30 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 160 km ENE of Bitung, Indonesia, at a depth of 57.5 km and coordinates 2.0409°, 126.4450°. This earthquake was detected by 76 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 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
126.4450°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Bitung, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 160 km ENE of Bitung, Indonesia on December 27, 2024 at 17:30 UTC had a depth of 57.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 2.0409°, 126.4450°, which is 160 km ENE of Bitung, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
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 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 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000pfyc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 27, 2024). M4.5 Earthquake 160 km ENE of Bitung, Indonesia — December 27, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pfyc/