M4.6 Earthquake 39 km WNW of Jiangyou, China — January 31, 2022
2022-01-31 22:01:27 UTC (2022-01-31) · approx. 5:01 AM UTC+7 local
Aftershock of the M5.4 mainshock.
On January 31, 2022 at 22:01 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 39 km WNW of Jiangyou, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 31.9193°, 104.3384°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.4 mainshock that occurred 12 days ago 21 km WNW of Jiangyou, China. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
104.3384°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Jiangyou, China?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 39 km WNW of Jiangyou, China on January 31, 2022 at 22:01 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 31.9193°, 104.3384°, which is 39 km WNW of Jiangyou, China.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.4 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.6 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.4 mainshock that occurred earlier 21 km WNW of Jiangyou, China. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ggtq). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, January 31, 2022). M4.6 Earthquake 39 km WNW of Jiangyou, China — January 31, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ggtq/