M5.0 Earthquake in the Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region — December 23, 2023
2023-12-23 15:31:02 UTC (2023-12-23) · approx. 2:31 AM UTC+11 local
On December 23, 2023 at 15:31 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region, at a depth of 23.5 km and coordinates 53.9199°, 168.8317°. This earthquake was detected by 86 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Russia, a region characterized by the Kuril-Kamchatka subduction zone on the northwestern Pacific Ring of Fire. The nearest mapped fault system is the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench. View all earthquakes in Russia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Earthquake Details
168.8317°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck in the Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region on December 23, 2023 at 15:31 UTC had a depth of 23.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 53.9199°, 168.8317°, which is in the Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region. View all earthquakes in Russia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Russia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Russia was the M9.0 Kamchatka earthquake of November 4, 1952. Today's magnitude 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ll3j). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 23, 2023). M5.0 Earthquake in the Komandorskiye Ostrova, Russia region — December 23, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ll3j/