4.2

M4.2 Earthquake 63 km SSW of Iquique, ChileJanuary 13, 2023

2023-01-13 17:37:27 UTC (2023-01-13) · approx. 12:37 PM UTC-5 local

MagnitudeM4.2(mb)
Time17:37 UTC12:37 PM UTC-5
Depth39.4 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-20.738°, -70.402°
Felt by5DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On January 13, 2023 at 17:37 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 63 km SSW of Iquique, Chile, at a depth of 39.4 km and coordinates -20.7380°, -70.4016°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -20.74°, -70.40°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 5 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M4.2 earthquake near 63 km SSW of Iquique, Chile

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.2 mb
Depth
39.4 km
shallow crustal
Location
-20.7380°N
-70.4016°E
Felt Reports
5
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
2.5
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000j488
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
273
Stations Used
18
Azimuthal Gap
174.0°
Min Station Distance
0.530°
RMS Residual
0.95 sec
Last Updated
2023-03-20 06:03:37 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Iquique, Chile?

The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 63 km SSW of Iquique, Chile on January 13, 2023 at 17:37 UTC had a depth of 39.4 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 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j488). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 13, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake 63 km SSW of Iquique, ChileJanuary 13, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j488/