4.2

M4.2 Earthquake in the Bonin Islands, Japan regionAugust 31, 2021

2021-08-31 21:42:46 UTC (2021-08-31) · approx. 7:42 AM UTC+10 local

MagnitudeM4.2(mb)
Time21:42 UTC7:42 AM UTC+10
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates28.449°, 143.568°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On August 31, 2021 at 21:42 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Bonin Islands, Japan region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 28.4488°, 143.5681°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 28.45°, 143.57°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.2 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
28.4488°N
143.5681°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000f9dz
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
271
Azimuthal Gap
106.0°
Min Station Distance
1.822°
RMS Residual
0.94 sec
Last Updated
2021-11-06 20:28:36 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake in the Bonin Islands, Japan region?

The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck in the Bonin Islands, Japan region on August 31, 2021 at 21:42 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 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000f9dz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, August 31, 2021). M4.2 Earthquake in the Bonin Islands, Japan regionAugust 31, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000f9dz/