M4.5 Earthquake 4 km WNW of Loyada, Djibouti — January 18, 2023
2023-01-18 19:28:12 UTC (2023-01-18) · approx. 10:28 PM UTC+3 local
On January 18, 2023 at 19:28 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km WNW of Loyada, Djibouti, at a depth of 9.5 km and coordinates 11.4722°, 43.2172°. This earthquake was detected by 23 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
43.2172°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Loyada, Djibouti?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 4 km WNW of Loyada, Djibouti on January 18, 2023 at 19:28 UTC had a depth of 9.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 11.4722°, 43.2172°, which is 4 km WNW of Loyada, Djibouti.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j5bc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 18, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 4 km WNW of Loyada, Djibouti — January 18, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j5bc/