M5.0 Earthquake 227 km NNE of Colonia, Micronesia — March 16, 2023
2023-03-16 17:03:07 UTC (2023-03-16) · approx. 2:03 AM UTC+9 local
On March 16, 2023 at 17:03 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 227 km NNE of Colonia, Micronesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 11.4679°, 138.7871°. This earthquake was detected by 97 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
138.7871°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Colonia, Micronesia?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 227 km NNE of Colonia, Micronesia on March 16, 2023 at 17:03 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 11.4679°, 138.7871°, which is 227 km NNE of Colonia, Micronesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jkgi). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 16, 2023). M5.0 Earthquake 227 km NNE of Colonia, Micronesia — March 16, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jkgi/