M4.6 Earthquake 116 km SW of Merizo Village, Guam — December 9, 2020
2020-12-09 05:51:01 UTC (2020-12-09) · approx. 3:51 PM UTC+10 local
Aftershock of the M5.1 mainshock.
On December 9, 2020 at 05:51 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 116 km SW of Merizo Village, Guam, at a depth of 21.1 km and coordinates 12.4340°, 144.0104°.
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.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.1 mainshock that occurred 24 days ago 163 km SW of Merizo Village, Guam. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 1 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
144.0104°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Merizo Village, Guam?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 116 km SW of Merizo Village, Guam on December 9, 2020 at 05:51 UTC had a depth of 21.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 12.4340°, 144.0104°, which is 116 km SW of Merizo Village, Guam.
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.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.1 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.6 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.1 mainshock that occurred earlier 163 km SW of Merizo Village, Guam. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cqzq). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 9, 2020). M4.6 Earthquake 116 km SW of Merizo Village, Guam — December 9, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cqzq/