M4.8 Earthquake 71 km NNW of Tabas, Iran — September 12, 2022
2022-09-12 23:37:04 UTC (2022-09-12) · approx. 3:37 AM UTC+4 local
On September 12, 2022 at 23:37 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 71 km NNW of Tabas, Iran, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 34.2240°, 56.7628°. This earthquake was detected by 95 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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 Iran, a region characterized by the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, where the Arabian Plate collides with Eurasia at 20-25 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Zagros Fault. View all earthquakes in Iran.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
56.7628°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Tabas, Iran?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 71 km NNW of Tabas, Iran on September 12, 2022 at 23:37 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 34.2240°, 56.7628°, which is 71 km NNW of Tabas, Iran. View all earthquakes in Iran.
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 Iran had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Iran was the M7.8 Tabas earthquake of September 16, 1978. Today's magnitude 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000i7hz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, September 12, 2022). M4.8 Earthquake 71 km NNW of Tabas, Iran — September 12, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000i7hz/