M4.2 Earthquake in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador region — May 31, 2023
2023-05-31 23:11:10 UTC (2023-05-31) · approx. 5:11 PM UTC-6 local
On May 31, 2023 at 23:11 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 1.9821°, -90.2558°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-90.2558°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador region?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador region on May 31, 2023 at 23:11 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000k6ui). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, May 31, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador region — May 31, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000k6ui/