M4.5 Earthquake near Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia — February 28, 2021
2021-02-28 22:27:20 UTC (2021-02-28) · approx. 7:27 AM UTC+9 local
Aftershock of the M5.9 mainshock.
On February 28, 2021 at 22:27 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck near Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia, at a depth of 108.9 km and coordinates -7.2639°, 129.1561°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — 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 5.9 mainshock that occurred 19 days ago 253 km ENE of Lospalos, Timor Leste. 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.
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
129.1561°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck near Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia on February 28, 2021 at 22:27 UTC had a depth of 108.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -7.2639°, 129.1561°, which is near Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.9 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.5 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.9 mainshock that occurred earlier 253 km ENE of Lospalos, Timor Leste. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000dfjq). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, February 28, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake near Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia — February 28, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000dfjq/