4.3

M4.3 Earthquake 106 km NW of Vallenar, Chile — September 14, 2020

2020-09-14 22:21:41 UTC (2020-09-14) · approx. 5:21 PM UTC-5 local

MagnitudeM4.3(mwr)
Time22:21 UTC≈ 5:21 PM UTC-5
Depth16.8 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-27.867°, -71.487°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 14, 2020 at 22:21 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 106 km NW of Vallenar, Chile, at a depth of 16.8 km and coordinates -27.8667°, -71.4867°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -27.87°, -71.49°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.3 mwr
Depth
16.8 km
shallow crustal
Location
-27.8667°N
-71.4867°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000bnaf
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
284
Azimuthal Gap
118.0°
Min Station Distance
0.496°
RMS Residual
0.69 sec
Last Updated
2020-11-21 20:10:43 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Vallenar, Chile?

The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 106 km NW of Vallenar, Chile on September 14, 2020 at 22:21 UTC had a depth of 16.8 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 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000bnaf). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 14, 2020). M4.3 Earthquake 106 km NW of Vallenar, Chile — September 14, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000bnaf/