M4.4 Earthquake 64 km SW of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea — January 1, 2023
2023-01-01 23:01:29 UTC (2023-01-01) · approx. 9:01 AM UTC+10 local
On January 1, 2023 at 23:01 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 intermediate depth earthquake struck 64 km SW of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 151.3 km and coordinates -4.5724°, 151.7111°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 60 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 655 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
151.7111°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.4 earthquake near Rabaul, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck 64 km SW of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea on January 1, 2023 at 23:01 UTC had a depth of 151.3 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 4.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.4 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j3y8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 1, 2023). M4.4 Earthquake 64 km SW of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea — January 1, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j3y8/