M4.2 Earthquake south of the Fiji Islands — August 16, 2023
2023-08-16 16:09:22 UTC (2023-08-16) · approx. 4:09 AM UTC-12 local
On August 16, 2023 at 16:09 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 deep-focus earthquake struck south of the Fiji Islands, at a depth of 536.1 km and coordinates -23.4453°, -179.5708°.
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
-179.5708°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake south of the Fiji Islands?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck south of the Fiji Islands on August 16, 2023 at 16:09 UTC had a depth of 536.1 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: us7000kqgz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, August 16, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake south of the Fiji Islands — August 16, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kqgz/