M5.0 Earthquake 42 km S of Massawa, Eritrea — September 13, 2023
2023-09-13 17:51:07 UTC (2023-09-13) · approx. 8:51 PM UTC+3 local
On September 13, 2023 at 17:51 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 42 km S of Massawa, Eritrea, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 15.2251°, 39.4730°. This earthquake was detected by 100 seismic stations with excellent 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
39.4730°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Massawa, Eritrea?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 42 km S of Massawa, Eritrea on September 13, 2023 at 17:51 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 15.2251°, 39.4730°, which is 42 km S of Massawa, Eritrea.
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: us7000kvkg). 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 42 km S of Massawa, Eritrea — September 13, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kvkg/