M4.9 Earthquake near Reykjanes Ridge — December 18, 2023
2023-12-18 03:18:02 UTC (2023-12-18) · approx. 1:18 AM UTC-2 local
On December 18, 2023 at 03:18 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Reykjanes Ridge, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 57.8281°, -32.6397°. This earthquake was detected by 68 seismic stations with excellent 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.
Earthquake Details
-32.6397°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Reykjanes Ridge?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck near Reykjanes Ridge on December 18, 2023 at 03:18 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 57.8281°, -32.6397°, which is near Reykjanes Ridge.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ljsd). 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 near Reykjanes Ridge — December 18, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ljsd/