M5.2 Earthquake 284 km E of Vao, New Caledonia — October 26, 2023
2023-10-26 23:26:15 UTC (2023-10-26) · approx. 10:26 AM UTC+11 local
On October 26, 2023 at 23:26 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 284 km E of Vao, New Caledonia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -22.9917°, 170.2434°. This earthquake was detected by 81 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 416, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
170.2434°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Vao, New Caledonia?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 284 km E of Vao, New Caledonia on October 26, 2023 at 23:26 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 -22.9917°, 170.2434°, which is 284 km E of Vao, New Caledonia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000l6pl). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, October 26, 2023). M5.2 Earthquake 284 km E of Vao, New Caledonia — October 26, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000l6pl/