M4.8 Earthquake 193 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands — December 15, 2020
2020-12-15 07:07:43 UTC (2020-12-15) · approx. 6:07 PM UTC+11 local
Aftershock of the M5.0 mainshock.
On December 15, 2020 at 07:07 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck 193 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands, at a depth of 114.0 km and coordinates -12.2165°, 166.7227°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — 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 5.0 mainshock that occurred 14 days ago 201 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
166.7227°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Lata, Solomon Islands?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 193 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands on December 15, 2020 at 07:07 UTC had a depth of 114.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -12.2165°, 166.7227°, which is 193 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.8 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 201 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cr71). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 15, 2020). M4.8 Earthquake 193 km SSE of Lata, Solomon Islands — December 15, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cr71/