M5.3 Earthquake 42 km SE of Hengchun, Taiwan — April 8, 2022
2022-04-08 19:19:33 UTC (2022-04-08) · approx. 3:19 AM UTC+8 local
On April 8, 2022 at 19:19 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 42 km SE of Hengchun, Taiwan, at a depth of 16.0 km and coordinates 21.7038°, 120.9994°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 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
Earthquake Details
120.9994°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Hengchun, Taiwan?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 42 km SE of Hengchun, Taiwan on April 8, 2022 at 19:19 UTC had a depth of 16.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 21.7038°, 120.9994°, which is 42 km SE of Hengchun, Taiwan. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000h0sq). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, April 8, 2022). M5.3 Earthquake 42 km SE of Hengchun, Taiwan — April 8, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000h0sq/