M4.6 Earthquake 169 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia — November 28, 2020
2020-11-28 17:26:10 UTC (2020-11-28) · approx. 1:26 AM UTC+8 local
On November 28, 2020 at 17:26 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 169 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 0.5281°, 120.4045°.
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 Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
120.4045°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Palu, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 169 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia on November 28, 2020 at 17:26 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 0.5281°, 120.4045°, which is 169 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
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 Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cknq). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, November 28, 2020). M4.6 Earthquake 169 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia — November 28, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cknq/