M4.2 Earthquake 94 km N of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea — February 20, 2023
2023-02-20 21:22:22 UTC (2023-02-20) · approx. 7:22 AM UTC+10 local
On February 20, 2023 at 21:22 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 deep-focus earthquake struck 94 km N of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 317.9 km and coordinates -3.3605°, 152.0013°.
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.
Earthquake Details
152.0013°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Rabaul, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 94 km N of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea on February 20, 2023 at 21:22 UTC had a depth of 317.9 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.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jga6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, February 20, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake 94 km N of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea — February 20, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jga6/