M3.9 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand — August 19, 2023
2023-08-19 17:44:17 UTC (2023-08-19) · approx. 5:44 AM UTC-12 local
On August 19, 2023 at 17:44 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 deep-focus earthquake struck near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand, at a depth of 352.9 km and coordinates -29.3923°, -178.8423°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 296 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-178.8423°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand?
The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on August 19, 2023 at 17:44 UTC had a depth of 352.9 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000kqxh). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, August 19, 2023). M3.9 Earthquake near Kermadec Islands, New Zealand — August 19, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kqxh/