M4.8 Earthquake north of Ascension Island — January 28, 2024
2024-01-28 02:16:42 UTC (2024-01-28) · approx. 1:16 AM UTC-1 local
On January 28, 2024 at 02:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck north of Ascension Island, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -1.6476°, -12.9659°. This earthquake was detected by 20 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-12.9659°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake north of Ascension Island?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck north of Ascension Island on January 28, 2024 at 02:16 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 -1.6476°, -12.9659°, which is north of Ascension Island.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lwaj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, January 28, 2024). M4.8 Earthquake north of Ascension Island — January 28, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lwaj/