M4.0 Earthquake 169 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea — December 12, 2020
2020-12-12 21:53:43 UTC (2020-12-12) · approx. 7:53 AM UTC+10 local
On December 12, 2020 at 21:53 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 169 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 7.8 km and coordinates -5.3864°, 153.3921°.
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
153.3921°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Kokopo, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 169 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea on December 12, 2020 at 21:53 UTC had a depth of 7.8 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: us7000crmp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 12, 2020). M4.0 Earthquake 169 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea — December 12, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000crmp/