M4.0 Earthquake in the Bonin Islands, Japan region — December 9, 2020
2020-12-09 21:16:53 UTC (2020-12-09) · approx. 6:16 AM UTC+9 local
On December 9, 2020 at 21:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the Bonin Islands, Japan region, at a depth of 232.6 km and coordinates 27.9536°, 140.1375°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
140.1375°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake in the Bonin Islands, Japan region?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck in the Bonin Islands, Japan region on December 9, 2020 at 21:16 UTC had a depth of 232.6 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 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cr06). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 9, 2020). M4.0 Earthquake in the Bonin Islands, Japan region — December 9, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cr06/