M4.5 Earthquake 50 km ESE of Karpathos, Greece — November 26, 2022
2022-11-26 20:09:35 UTC (2022-11-26) · approx. 10:09 PM UTC+2 local
On November 26, 2022 at 20:09 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 50 km ESE of Karpathos, Greece, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 35.3543°, 27.7429°. This earthquake was detected by 80 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Greece, a region characterized by the Hellenic subduction zone, where the African Plate subducts northward beneath the Aegean at roughly 35 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Hellenic Trench. View all earthquakes in Greece.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
27.7429°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Karpathos, Greece?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 50 km ESE of Karpathos, Greece on November 26, 2022 at 20:09 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 35.3543°, 27.7429°, which is 50 km ESE of Karpathos, Greece. View all earthquakes in Greece.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Greece had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Greece was the M8.5 Crete earthquake of June 29, 1303. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000isll). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, November 26, 2022). M4.5 Earthquake 50 km ESE of Karpathos, Greece — November 26, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000isll/