M4.7 Earthquake south of the Kermadec Islands — December 24, 2023
2023-12-24 18:20:44 UTC (2023-12-24) · approx. 6:20 AM UTC+12 local
On December 24, 2023 at 18:20 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 deep-focus earthquake struck south of the Kermadec Islands, at a depth of 334.4 km and coordinates -32.1001°, 179.6777°. This earthquake was detected by 69 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 340, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
179.6777°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake south of the Kermadec Islands?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck south of the Kermadec Islands on December 24, 2023 at 18:20 UTC had a depth of 334.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -32.1001°, 179.6777°, which is south of the Kermadec Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lla2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 24, 2023). M4.7 Earthquake south of the Kermadec Islands — December 24, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lla2/