M4.9 Earthquake 196 km NE of Santa Cruz das Flores, Portugal — January 2, 2023
2023-01-02 21:37:26 UTC (2023-01-02) · approx. 7:37 PM UTC-2 local
On January 2, 2023 at 21:37 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 196 km NE of Santa Cruz das Flores, Portugal, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 40.5483°, -29.3131°. This earthquake was detected by 135 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-29.3131°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Santa Cruz das Flores, Portugal?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 196 km NE of Santa Cruz das Flores, Portugal on January 2, 2023 at 21:37 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 40.5483°, -29.3131°, which is 196 km NE of Santa Cruz das Flores, Portugal.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j1p9). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 2, 2023). M4.9 Earthquake 196 km NE of Santa Cruz das Flores, Portugal — January 2, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j1p9/