M4.9 Earthquake 83 km ESE of Puerto Gaitán, Colombia — March 20, 2021
2021-03-20 23:46:01 UTC (2021-03-20) · approx. 6:46 PM UTC-5 local
On March 20, 2021 at 23:46 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 83 km ESE of Puerto Gaitán, Colombia, at a depth of 15.3 km and coordinates 3.9648°, -71.4140°.
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.
Earthquake Details
-71.4140°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Puerto Gaitán, Colombia?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 83 km ESE of Puerto Gaitán, Colombia on March 20, 2021 at 23:46 UTC had a depth of 15.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 3.9648°, -71.4140°, which is 83 km ESE of Puerto Gaitán, Colombia.
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.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000dlc1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, March 20, 2021). M4.9 Earthquake 83 km ESE of Puerto Gaitán, Colombia — March 20, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000dlc1/