M4.0 Earthquake 17 km NE of La Serena, Chile — February 16, 2022
2022-02-16 23:59:26 UTC (2022-02-16) · approx. 6:59 PM UTC-5 local
On February 16, 2022 at 23:59 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck 17 km NE of La Serena, Chile, at a depth of 83.1 km and coordinates -29.8095°, -71.1104°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 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 5.1 mainshock that occurred 12 days ago 26 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile. 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.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 3 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-71.1104°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near La Serena, Chile?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 17 km NE of La Serena, Chile on February 16, 2022 at 23:59 UTC had a depth of 83.1 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 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.1 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.0 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.1 mainshock that occurred earlier 26 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000glhm). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, February 16, 2022). M4.0 Earthquake 17 km NE of La Serena, Chile — February 16, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000glhm/