M5.0 Earthquake 19 km SE of Metahāra, Ethiopia — January 14, 2025
2025-01-14 14:55:56 UTC (2025-01-14) · approx. 5:55 PM UTC+3 local
On January 14, 2025 at 14:55 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 19 km SE of Metahāra, Ethiopia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 8.7904°, 40.0596°. This earthquake was detected by 129 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
40.0596°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Metahāra, Ethiopia?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 19 km SE of Metahāra, Ethiopia on January 14, 2025 at 14:55 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 8.7904°, 40.0596°, which is 19 km SE of Metahāra, Ethiopia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000pjx5). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, January 14, 2025). M5.0 Earthquake 19 km SE of Metahāra, Ethiopia — January 14, 2025. Retrieved March 20, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pjx5/