M4.9 Earthquake near southern East Pacific Rise — November 17, 2020
2020-11-17 18:32:21 UTC (2020-11-17) · approx. 10:32 AM UTC-8 local
Aftershock of the M5.2 mainshock.
On November 17, 2020 at 18:32 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck near southern East Pacific Rise, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -24.4163°, -116.0847°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred 29 days ago near southern East Pacific Rise. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
-116.0847°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near southern East Pacific Rise?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck near southern East Pacific Rise on November 17, 2020 at 18:32 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 -24.4163°, -116.0847°, which is near southern East Pacific Rise.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.2 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred earlier near southern East Pacific Rise. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cg8f). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, November 17, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake near southern East Pacific Rise — November 17, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cg8f/