M4.7 Earthquake 8 km NW of Rust?q, Afghanistan — March 11, 2023
2023-03-11 18:24:49 UTC (2023-03-11) · approx. 11:24 PM UTC+5 local
On March 11, 2023 at 18:24 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 8 km NW of Rust?q, Afghanistan, at a depth of 14.6 km and coordinates 37.1822°, 69.7616°. This earthquake was detected by 146 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 340, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Afghanistan, a region characterized by the Hindu Kush deep seismic zone, where remnant subducted lithosphere produces intermediate-depth earthquakes at 150-300 km. View all earthquakes in Afghanistan.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
69.7616°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Rust?q, Afghanistan?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 8 km NW of Rust?q, Afghanistan on March 11, 2023 at 18:24 UTC had a depth of 14.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 37.1822°, 69.7616°, which is 8 km NW of Rust?q, Afghanistan. View all earthquakes in Afghanistan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Afghanistan had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Afghanistan was the M7.5 Hindu Kush earthquake of October 26, 2015. Today's magnitude 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jj5x). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 11, 2023). M4.7 Earthquake 8 km NW of Rust?q, Afghanistan — March 11, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jj5x/