4.3

M4.3 Earthquake 61 km S of Intipucá, El SalvadorMarch 5, 2023

2023-03-05 23:09:16 UTC (2023-03-05) · approx. 5:09 PM UTC-6 local

MagnitudeM4.3(mb)
Time23:09 UTC5:09 PM UTC-6
Depth75.0 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates12.644°, -88.010°
Felt by1DYFI response
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 5, 2023 at 23:09 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 intermediate depth earthquake struck 61 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador, at a depth of 75.0 km and coordinates 12.6441°, -88.0100°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.5 mainshock that occurred 20 days ago 69 km SSW of Chirilagua, El Salvador. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 12.64°, -88.01°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response 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 M4.3 earthquake near 61 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador

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

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.3 mb
Depth
75.0 km
intermediate depth
Location
12.6441°N
-88.0100°E
Felt Reports
1
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
2.2
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000jhiw
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
285
Stations Used
34
Azimuthal Gap
122.0°
Min Station Distance
1.288°
RMS Residual
0.67 sec
Last Updated
2023-05-15 02:50:34 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Intipucá, El Salvador?

The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 61 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador on March 5, 2023 at 23:09 UTC had a depth of 75.0 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 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Is this the same earthquake as the M5.5 one earlier?

No. This magnitude 4.3 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.5 mainshock that occurred earlier 69 km SSW of Chirilagua, El Salvador. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jhiw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 5, 2023). M4.3 Earthquake 61 km S of Intipucá, El SalvadorMarch 5, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jhiw/