M4.3 Earthquake 237 km ENE of Hicks Bay, New Zealand — December 15, 2023
2023-12-15 20:04:22 UTC (2023-12-15) · approx. 8:04 AM UTC-12 local
On December 15, 2023 at 20:04 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 237 km ENE of Hicks Bay, New Zealand, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -37.1882°, -179.0689°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-179.0689°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Hicks Bay, New Zealand?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 237 km ENE of Hicks Bay, New Zealand on December 15, 2023 at 20:04 UTC had a depth of 10.0 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 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.3 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lke7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 15, 2023). M4.3 Earthquake 237 km ENE of Hicks Bay, New Zealand — December 15, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lke7/