M5.0 Earthquake 264 km E of Vao, New Caledonia — September 13, 2023
2023-09-13 16:45:03 UTC (2023-09-13) · approx. 3:45 AM UTC+11 local
On September 13, 2023 at 16:45 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 264 km E of Vao, New Caledonia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -23.0514°, 170.0367°. This earthquake was detected by 101 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
170.0367°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Vao, New Caledonia?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 264 km E of Vao, New Caledonia on September 13, 2023 at 16:45 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -23.0514°, 170.0367°, which is 264 km E of Vao, New Caledonia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000kvj4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, September 13, 2023). M5.0 Earthquake 264 km E of Vao, New Caledonia — September 13, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kvj4/