M5.0 Earthquake 111 km WSW of Qamdo, China — March 17, 2023
2023-03-17 10:39:39 UTC (2023-03-17) · approx. 4:39 PM UTC+6 local
On March 17, 2023 at 10:39 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 111 km WSW of Qamdo, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 30.7663°, 96.0896°. This earthquake was detected by 137 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
96.0896°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Qamdo, China?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 111 km WSW of Qamdo, China on March 17, 2023 at 10:39 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 30.7663°, 96.0896°, which is 111 km WSW of Qamdo, China.
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
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jktb). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 17, 2023). M5.0 Earthquake 111 km WSW of Qamdo, China — March 17, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jktb/