M5.3 Earthquake 282 km E of Vao, New Caledonia — February 5, 2024
2024-02-05 07:26:31 UTC (2024-02-05) · approx. 6:26 PM UTC+11 local
On February 5, 2024 at 07:26 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 282 km E of Vao, New Caledonia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -23.0605°, 170.2181°. This earthquake was detected by 92 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 432, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
170.2181°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Vao, New Caledonia?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 282 km E of Vao, New Caledonia on February 5, 2024 at 07:26 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -23.0605°, 170.2181°, which is 282 km E of Vao, New Caledonia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lx12). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, February 5, 2024). M5.3 Earthquake 282 km E of Vao, New Caledonia — February 5, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lx12/