M4.0 Earthquake 25 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea — December 23, 2022
2022-12-23 18:06:15 UTC (2022-12-23) · approx. 4:06 AM UTC+10 local
On December 23, 2022 at 18:06 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 25 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 58.0 km and coordinates -6.3392°, 147.7708°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
147.7708°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 25 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea on December 23, 2022 at 18:06 UTC had a depth of 58.0 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 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j2a3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 23, 2022). M4.0 Earthquake 25 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea — December 23, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j2a3/