M4.3 Earthquake 231 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand — May 15, 2021
2021-05-15 12:27:03 UTC (2021-05-15) · approx. 12:27 AM UTC-12 local
On May 15, 2021 at 12:27 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 231 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -37.4558°, -179.8318°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-179.8318°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Gisborne, New Zealand?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 231 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand on May 15, 2021 at 12:27 UTC had a depth of 10.0 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 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000e4rw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 15, 2021). M4.3 Earthquake 231 km NE of Gisborne, New Zealand — May 15, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000e4rw/