4.5

M4.5 Earthquake near southern Xinjiang, ChinaJuly 15, 2023

2023-07-15 19:42:53 UTC (2023-07-15) · approx. 1:42 AM UTC+6 local

MagnitudeM4.5(mb)
Time19:42 UTC1:42 AM UTC+6
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates38.648°, 88.920°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On July 15, 2023 at 19:42 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck near southern Xinjiang, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 38.6483°, 88.9197°. This earthquake was detected by 50 seismic stations with good 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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 38.65°, 88.92°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.5 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
38.6483°N
88.9197°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000kg0f
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
312
Stations Used
50
Azimuthal Gap
121.0°
Min Station Distance
7.880°
RMS Residual
0.98 sec
Last Updated
2023-09-16 19:16:18 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near southern Xinjiang, China?

The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck near southern Xinjiang, China on July 15, 2023 at 19:42 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 38.6483°, 88.9197°, which is near southern Xinjiang, China.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000kg0f). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, July 15, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake near southern Xinjiang, ChinaJuly 15, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kg0f/