4.8

M4.8 Earthquake 75 km E of Hualien City, TaiwanNovember 9, 2021

2021-11-09 18:24:14 UTC (2021-11-09) · approx. 2:24 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.8(mb)
Time18:24 UTC2:24 AM UTC+8
Depth27.9 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates23.987°, 122.343°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On November 9, 2021 at 18:24 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 75 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan, at a depth of 27.9 km and coordinates 23.9867°, 122.3426°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

The epicenter is located in Taiwan, a region characterized by the collision of the Luzon volcanic arc with the Eurasian continental margin, where the Philippine Sea Plate converges at 80 mm per year. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 23.99°, 122.34°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.8 mb
Depth
27.9 km
shallow crustal
Location
23.9867°N
122.3426°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000fss1
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
354
Azimuthal Gap
61.0°
Min Station Distance
0.708°
RMS Residual
0.74 sec
Last Updated
2022-01-15 20:51:43 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Hualien City, Taiwan?

The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 75 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan on November 9, 2021 at 18:24 UTC had a depth of 27.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 23.9867°, 122.3426°, which is 75 km E of Hualien City, Taiwan. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Has Taiwan had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in Taiwan was the M7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake of September 21, 1999. Today's magnitude 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000fss1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, November 9, 2021). M4.8 Earthquake 75 km E of Hualien City, TaiwanNovember 9, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000fss1/