M2.6 Earthquake 4 km W of Lemitar, New Mexico — September 12, 2023
2023-09-12 22:01:06 UTC (2023-09-12) · approx. 3:01 PM UTC-7 local
Felt by 15 people across nearby locations.
On September 12, 2023 at 22:01 UTC, a magnitude 2.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km W of Lemitar, New Mexico, at a depth of 5.0 km and coordinates 34.1545°, -106.9580°. This earthquake was detected by 39 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 112, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 37 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in New Mexico, a region characterized by the Rio Grande Rift, a continental rift zone where the crust is thinning and extending. The nearest mapped fault system is the Rio Grande Rift. View all earthquakes in New Mexico.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 15 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
-106.9580°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.6 earthquake near Lemitar, New Mexico?
The magnitude 2.6 earthquake that struck 4 km W of Lemitar, New Mexico on September 12, 2023 at 22:01 UTC had a depth of 5.0 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 34.1545°, -106.9580°, which is 4 km W of Lemitar, New Mexico. View all earthquakes in New Mexico.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 2.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has New Mexico had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in New Mexico was the M6.2 Socorro earthquake of November 15, 1906. Today's magnitude 2.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000kvdp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, September 12, 2023). M2.6 Earthquake 4 km W of Lemitar, New Mexico — September 12, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kvdp/