4.1

M4.1 Earthquake 55 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador — December 12, 2020

2020-12-12 17:23:43 UTC (2020-12-12) · approx. 11:23 AM UTC-6 local

MagnitudeM4.1(mb)
Time17:23 UTC≈ 11:23 AM UTC-6
Depth53.1 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates12.702°, -87.970°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 12, 2020 at 17:23 UTC, a magnitude 4.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 55 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador, at a depth of 53.1 km and coordinates 12.7017°, -87.9704°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 21 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 406 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 12.70°, -87.97°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.1 mb
Depth
53.1 km
shallow crustal
Location
12.7017°N
-87.9704°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000cqls
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
259
Azimuthal Gap
164.0°
Min Station Distance
0.926°
RMS Residual
0.89 sec
Last Updated
2021-02-20 16:11:33 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.1 earthquake near Intipucá, El Salvador?

The magnitude 4.1 earthquake that struck 55 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador on December 12, 2020 at 17:23 UTC had a depth of 53.1 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 4.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.1 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cqls). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 12, 2020). M4.1 Earthquake 55 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador — December 12, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cqls/