4.0

M4.0 Earthquake south of the Fiji Islands — August 24, 2020

2020-08-24 21:43:07 UTC (2020-08-24) · approx. 9:43 AM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM4.0(mb)
Time21:43 UTC≈ 9:43 AM UTC-12
Depth465.1 kmdeep-focus
Coordinates-25.559°, -179.877°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On August 24, 2020 at 21:43 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 deep-focus earthquake struck south of the Fiji Islands, at a depth of 465.1 km and coordinates -25.5591°, -179.8768°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -25.56°, -179.88°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.0 mb
Depth
465.1 km
deep-focus
Location
-25.5591°N
-179.8768°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000beck
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
246
Azimuthal Gap
187.0°
Min Station Distance
8.010°
RMS Residual
1.18 sec
Last Updated
2020-10-31 19:06:35 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake south of the Fiji Islands?

The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck south of the Fiji Islands on August 24, 2020 at 21:43 UTC had a depth of 465.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000beck). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 24, 2020). M4.0 Earthquake south of the Fiji Islands — August 24, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000beck/