M4.7 Earthquake in the Ascension Island region — May 30, 2023
2023-05-30 11:49:36 UTC (2023-05-30) · approx. 10:49 AM UTC-1 local
On May 30, 2023 at 11:49 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Ascension Island region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -5.5050°, -11.5653°. This earthquake was detected by 20 seismic stations with good 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.
Earthquake Details
-11.5653°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake in the Ascension Island region?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck in the Ascension Island region on May 30, 2023 at 11:49 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 -5.5050°, -11.5653°, which is in the Ascension Island region.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000k6ml). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, May 30, 2023). M4.7 Earthquake in the Ascension Island region — May 30, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000k6ml/