M4.3 Earthquake 20 km NE of Santa Elena, Ecuador — September 23, 2022
2022-09-23 23:44:41 UTC (2022-09-23) · approx. 6:44 PM UTC-5 local
On September 23, 2022 at 23:44 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 20 km NE of Santa Elena, Ecuador, at a depth of 32.1 km and coordinates -2.1042°, -80.7245°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-80.7245°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Santa Elena, Ecuador?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 20 km NE of Santa Elena, Ecuador on September 23, 2022 at 23:44 UTC had a depth of 32.1 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 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000iam8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, September 23, 2022). M4.3 Earthquake 20 km NE of Santa Elena, Ecuador — September 23, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000iam8/