M4.8 Earthquake 160 km NE of Palu, Indonesia — July 11, 2020
2020-07-11 07:17:00 UTC (2020-07-11) · approx. 3:17 PM UTC+8 local
On July 11, 2020 at 07:17 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck 160 km NE of Palu, Indonesia, at a depth of 109.3 km and coordinates 0.2119°, 120.7944°.
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.
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
120.7944°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Palu, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 160 km NE of Palu, Indonesia on July 11, 2020 at 07:17 UTC had a depth of 109.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 0.2119°, 120.7944°, which is 160 km NE of Palu, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
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.
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 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000alue). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, July 11, 2020). M4.8 Earthquake 160 km NE of Palu, Indonesia — July 11, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000alue/