M4.2 Earthquake 117 km NW of Vallenar, Chile — September 2, 2020
2020-09-02 16:21:39 UTC (2020-09-02) · approx. 11:21 AM UTC-5 local
On September 2, 2020 at 16:21 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 117 km NW of Vallenar, Chile, at a depth of 11.5 km and coordinates -27.8367°, -71.6140°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-71.6140°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Vallenar, Chile?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 117 km NW of Vallenar, Chile on September 2, 2020 at 16:21 UTC had a depth of 11.5 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 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000bgml). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 2, 2020). M4.2 Earthquake 117 km NW of Vallenar, Chile — September 2, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000bgml/