M4.6 Earthquake near Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia — January 13, 2023
2023-01-13 12:44:50 UTC (2023-01-13) · approx. 9:44 PM UTC+9 local
On January 13, 2023 at 12:44 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 intermediate depth earthquake struck near Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia, at a depth of 86.8 km and coordinates -7.0656°, 130.2688°. This earthquake was detected by 64 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
130.2688°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck near Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia on January 13, 2023 at 12:44 UTC had a depth of 86.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -7.0656°, 130.2688°, which is near Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j44s). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 13, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake near Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia — January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j44s/