4.5

M4.5 Earthquake 24 km W of Kāzerūn, IranMarch 25, 2023

2023-03-25 18:13:09 UTC (2023-03-25) · approx. 9:13 PM UTC+3 local

MagnitudeM4.5(mb)
Time18:13 UTC9:13 PM UTC+3
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates29.610°, 51.396°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 25, 2023 at 18:13 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 24 km W of Kāzerūn, Iran, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 29.6097°, 51.3958°. This earthquake was detected by 176 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

The epicenter is located in Iran, a region characterized by the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, where the Arabian Plate collides with Eurasia at 20-25 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Zagros Fault. View all earthquakes in Iran.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 29.61°, 51.40°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.5 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
29.6097°N
51.3958°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000jmq5
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
312
Stations Used
176
Azimuthal Gap
43.0°
Min Station Distance
6.315°
RMS Residual
0.69 sec
Last Updated
2023-05-26 21:54:20 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Kāzerūn, Iran?

The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 24 km W of Kāzerūn, Iran on March 25, 2023 at 18:13 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 29.6097°, 51.3958°, which is 24 km W of Kāzerūn, Iran. View all earthquakes in Iran.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Has Iran had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in Iran was the M7.8 Tabas earthquake of September 16, 1978. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jmq5). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 25, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 24 km W of Kāzerūn, IranMarch 25, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jmq5/