M4.8 Earthquake 121 km ENE of Tobelo, Indonesia — March 18, 2023
2023-03-18 07:14:40 UTC (2023-03-18) · approx. 4:14 PM UTC+9 local
On March 18, 2023 at 07:14 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 121 km ENE of Tobelo, Indonesia, at a depth of 9.4 km and coordinates 2.3235°, 128.9316°. This earthquake was detected by 61 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
128.9316°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Tobelo, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 121 km ENE of Tobelo, Indonesia on March 18, 2023 at 07:14 UTC had a depth of 9.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 2.3235°, 128.9316°, which is 121 km ENE of Tobelo, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jl1j). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 18, 2023). M4.8 Earthquake 121 km ENE of Tobelo, Indonesia — March 18, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jl1j/