M4.6 Earthquake 234 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia — December 9, 2023
2023-12-09 23:27:31 UTC (2023-12-09) · approx. 7:27 AM UTC+8 local
On December 9, 2023 at 23:27 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 deep-focus earthquake struck 234 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia, at a depth of 576.5 km and coordinates 1.0045°, 120.7906°. This earthquake was detected by 112 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
120.7906°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Palu, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 234 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia on December 9, 2023 at 23:27 UTC had a depth of 576.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 1.0045°, 120.7906°, which is 234 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lhtx). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 9, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake 234 km NNE of Palu, Indonesia — December 9, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lhtx/