M4.6 Earthquake 125 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia — August 21, 2023
2023-08-21 14:55:01 UTC (2023-08-21) · approx. 11:55 PM UTC+9 local
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On August 21, 2023 at 14:55 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 intermediate depth earthquake struck 125 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia, at a depth of 235.3 km and coordinates 2.7247°, 128.5410°.0 This earthquake was detected by 60 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — 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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from submitted citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
128.5410°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Tobelo, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 125 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia on August 21, 2023 at 14:55 UTC had a depth of 235.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 2.7247°, 128.5410°, which is 125 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000kpww). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, August 21, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake 125 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia — August 21, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kpww/