M4.9 Earthquake 4 km SSW of Metahāra, Ethiopia — January 12, 2025
2025-01-12 19:49:15 UTC (2025-01-12) · approx. 10:49 PM UTC+3 local
On January 12, 2025 at 19:49 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km SSW of Metahāra, Ethiopia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 8.8570°, 39.9030°. This earthquake was detected by 63 seismic stations with excellent 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.
Earthquake Details
39.9030°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Metahāra, Ethiopia?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 4 km SSW of Metahāra, Ethiopia on January 12, 2025 at 19:49 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 8.8570°, 39.9030°, which is 4 km SSW of Metahāra, Ethiopia.
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: us6000pjkx). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, January 12, 2025). M4.9 Earthquake 4 km SSW of Metahāra, Ethiopia — January 12, 2025. Retrieved March 20, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pjkx/