M4.2 Earthquake 83 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea — October 31, 2023
2023-10-31 18:43:56 UTC (2023-10-31) · approx. 4:43 AM UTC+10 local
On October 31, 2023 at 18:43 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 83 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates -7.0688°, 155.5780°.
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.
Earthquake Details
155.5780°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Panguna, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 83 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea on October 31, 2023 at 18:43 UTC had a depth of 35.0 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.
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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: us7000l8np). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, October 31, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake 83 km S of Panguna, Papua New Guinea — October 31, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000l8np/