M4.9 Earthquake 214 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia — January 20, 2023
2023-01-20 08:58:08 UTC (2023-01-20) · approx. 5:58 PM UTC+9 local
On January 20, 2023 at 08:58 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 214 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia, at a depth of 11.5 km and coordinates 3.5848°, 128.5719°. This earthquake was detected by 51 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — 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
128.5719°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Tobelo, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 214 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia on January 20, 2023 at 08:58 UTC had a depth of 11.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 3.5848°, 128.5719°, which is 214 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 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 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j5qh). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 20, 2023). M4.9 Earthquake 214 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia — January 20, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j5qh/