M4.9 Earthquake 41 km NE of Meulaboh, Indonesia — December 14, 2020
2020-12-14 14:02:43 UTC (2020-12-14) · approx. 8:02 PM UTC+6 local
On December 14, 2020 at 14:02 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 41 km NE of Meulaboh, Indonesia, at a depth of 6.2 km and coordinates 4.4477°, 96.3535°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
96.3535°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Meulaboh, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 41 km NE of Meulaboh, Indonesia on December 14, 2020 at 14:02 UTC had a depth of 6.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 4.4477°, 96.3535°, which is 41 km NE of Meulaboh, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cs3z). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 14, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake 41 km NE of Meulaboh, Indonesia — December 14, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cs3z/