4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 59 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico — November 5, 2020

2020-11-05 22:54:27 UTC (2020-11-05) · approx. 4:54 PM UTC-6 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time22:54 UTC≈ 4:54 PM UTC-6
Depth18.8 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates14.387°, -92.859°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On November 5, 2020 at 22:54 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 59 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico, at a depth of 18.8 km and coordinates 14.3873°, -92.8588°.

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 Mexico, a region characterized by the Middle America Trench, where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Middle America Trench. View all earthquakes in Mexico.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 14.39°, -92.86°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
18.8 km
shallow crustal
Location
14.3873°N
-92.8588°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000cmqr
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Azimuthal Gap
190.0°
Min Station Distance
0.773°
RMS Residual
0.81 sec
Last Updated
2021-01-23 22:25:50 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 59 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico on November 5, 2020 at 22:54 UTC had a depth of 18.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 14.3873°, -92.8588°, which is 59 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico. View all earthquakes in Mexico.

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 Mexico had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in Mexico was the M8.1 Chiapas earthquake of September 8, 2017. Today's magnitude 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cmqr). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, November 5, 2020). M4.6 Earthquake 59 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico — November 5, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cmqr/