M4.0 Earthquake northwest of the Kuril Islands — December 20, 2023
2023-12-20 22:12:55 UTC (2023-12-20) · approx. 8:12 AM UTC+10 local
On December 20, 2023 at 22:12 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 deep-focus earthquake struck northwest of the Kuril Islands, at a depth of 444.8 km and coordinates 47.8709°, 146.9323°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
146.9323°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake northwest of the Kuril Islands?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck northwest of the Kuril Islands on December 20, 2023 at 22:12 UTC had a depth of 444.8 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 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lkhf). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 20, 2023). M4.0 Earthquake northwest of the Kuril Islands — December 20, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lkhf/