M4.2 Earthquake 15 km S of Ocós, Guatemala — August 28, 2023
2023-08-28 22:18:55 UTC (2023-08-28) · approx. 4:18 PM UTC-6 local
On August 28, 2023 at 22:18 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 15 km S of Ocós, Guatemala, at a depth of 60.4 km and coordinates 14.3713°, -92.1968°.
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.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.9 mainshock that occurred 29 days ago 54 km SW of Brisas Barra de Suchiate, Mexico. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 1 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 3 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
-92.1968°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Ocós, Guatemala?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 15 km S of Ocós, Guatemala on August 28, 2023 at 22:18 UTC had a depth of 60.4 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.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.9 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.2 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.9 mainshock that occurred earlier 54 km SW of Brisas Barra de Suchiate, Mexico. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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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: us7000krp9). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, August 28, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake 15 km S of Ocós, Guatemala — August 28, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000krp9/