5.0

M5.0 Earthquake 51 km ENE of Colonia, Micronesia — December 24, 2022

2022-12-24 04:58:42 UTC (2022-12-24) · approx. 1:58 PM UTC+9 local

Aftershock of the M5.3 mainshock.

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time04:58 UTC≈ 1:58 PM UTC+9
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates9.725°, 138.539°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 24, 2022 at 04:58 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 51 km ENE of Colonia, Micronesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 9.7245°, 138.5394°. This earthquake was detected by 21 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.3 mainshock that occurred 18 days ago 23 km ENE of Colonia, Micronesia. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 2 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 9.72°, 138.54°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
9.7245°N
138.5394°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000j2bb
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Stations Used
21
Azimuthal Gap
117.0°
Min Station Distance
7.292°
RMS Residual
1.01 sec
Last Updated
2024-01-18 17:39:29 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Colonia, Micronesia?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 51 km ENE of Colonia, Micronesia on December 24, 2022 at 04:58 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 9.7245°, 138.5394°, which is 51 km ENE of Colonia, Micronesia.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Is this the same earthquake as the M5.3 one earlier?

No. This magnitude 5.0 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.3 mainshock that occurred earlier 23 km ENE of Colonia, Micronesia. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.

Actions

View on USGSDid You Feel It?

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j2bb). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 24, 2022). M5.0 Earthquake 51 km ENE of Colonia, Micronesia — December 24, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j2bb/