M4.7 Earthquake 99 km SW of Abepura, Indonesia — December 21, 2020
2020-12-21 11:49:13 UTC (2020-12-21) · approx. 8:49 PM UTC+9 local
On December 21, 2020 at 11:49 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 99 km SW of Abepura, Indonesia, at a depth of 63.7 km and coordinates -3.2968°, 140.0766°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 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
140.0766°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Abepura, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 99 km SW of Abepura, Indonesia on December 21, 2020 at 11:49 UTC had a depth of 63.7 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -3.2968°, 140.0766°, which is 99 km SW of Abepura, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 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 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000csxa). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 21, 2020). M4.7 Earthquake 99 km SW of Abepura, Indonesia — December 21, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000csxa/