4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 127 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan — September 20, 2020

2020-09-20 23:54:51 UTC (2020-09-20) · approx. 7:54 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time23:54 UTC≈ 7:54 AM UTC+8
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates22.799°, 121.650°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 20, 2020 at 23:54 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 127 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 22.7988°, 121.6496°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

The epicenter is located in Taiwan, a region characterized by the collision of the Luzon volcanic arc with the Eurasian continental margin, where the Philippine Sea Plate converges at 80 mm per year. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 22.80°, 121.65°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
22.7988°N
121.6496°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000bqlw
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Azimuthal Gap
79.0°
Min Station Distance
0.526°
RMS Residual
0.91 sec
Last Updated
2020-11-28 21:31:59 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Yujing, Taiwan?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 127 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan on September 20, 2020 at 23:54 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 22.7988°, 121.6496°, which is 127 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Has Taiwan had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in Taiwan was the M7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake of September 21, 1999. Today's magnitude 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000bqlw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 20, 2020). M4.6 Earthquake 127 km ESE of Yujing, Taiwan — September 20, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000bqlw/