M4.5 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — December 19, 2022
2022-12-19 17:54:09 UTC (2022-12-19) · approx. 5:54 AM UTC-12 local
On December 19, 2022 at 17:54 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Kermadec Islands region, at a depth of 55.1 km and coordinates -27.8175°, -177.4100°. This earthquake was detected by 18 seismic stations with good 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.
Earthquake Details
-177.4100°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck in the Kermadec Islands region on December 19, 2022 at 17:54 UTC had a depth of 55.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -27.8175°, -177.4100°, which is in the Kermadec Islands region.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j0hn). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 19, 2022). M4.5 Earthquake in the Kermadec Islands region — December 19, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j0hn/