M5.0 Earthquake 198 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia — September 21, 2022
2022-09-21 11:57:51 UTC (2022-09-21) · approx. 8:57 PM UTC+9 local
On September 21, 2022 at 11:57 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 198 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia, at a depth of 61.0 km and coordinates -6.0609°, 131.0137°. This earthquake was detected by 80 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
131.0137°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Tual, Indonesia?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 198 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia on September 21, 2022 at 11:57 UTC had a depth of 61.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -6.0609°, 131.0137°, which is 198 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
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.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000i9w7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, September 21, 2022). M5.0 Earthquake 198 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia — September 21, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000i9w7/