M5.0 Earthquake 198 km SSW of Lajes das Flores, Portugal — December 31, 2021
2021-12-31 00:58:32 UTC (2021-12-31) · approx. 10:58 PM UTC-2 local
On December 31, 2021 at 00:58 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 198 km SSW of Lajes das Flores, Portugal, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 37.6534°, -31.7687°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-31.7687°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Lajes das Flores, Portugal?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 198 km SSW of Lajes das Flores, Portugal on December 31, 2021 at 00:58 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 37.6534°, -31.7687°, which is 198 km SSW of Lajes das Flores, Portugal.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000g83l). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 31, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake 198 km SSW of Lajes das Flores, Portugal — December 31, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000g83l/