M4.9 Earthquake 150 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — December 18, 2023
2023-12-18 00:15:07 UTC (2023-12-18) · approx. 6:15 PM UTC-6 local
On December 18, 2023 at 00:15 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 150 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 14.3027°, -93.9214°. This earthquake was detected by 138 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Mexico, a region characterized by the Middle America Trench, where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Middle America Trench. View all earthquakes in Mexico.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
-93.9214°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 150 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico on December 18, 2023 at 00:15 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 14.3027°, -93.9214°, which is 150 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico. View all earthquakes in Mexico.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Mexico had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Mexico was the M8.1 Chiapas earthquake of September 8, 2017. Today's magnitude 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ljru). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 18, 2023). M4.9 Earthquake 150 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — December 18, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ljru/