5.0

M5.0 Earthquake 292 km E of Vao, New CaledoniaFebruary 5, 2024

2024-02-05 07:29:28 UTC (2024-02-05) · approx. 6:29 PM UTC+11 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time07:29 UTC6:29 PM UTC+11
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-22.945°, 170.328°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On February 5, 2024 at 07:29 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 292 km E of Vao, New Caledonia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -22.9445°, 170.3281°. This earthquake was detected by 21 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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -22.94°, 170.33°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-22.9445°N
170.3281°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000ly0a
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Stations Used
21
Azimuthal Gap
147.0°
Min Station Distance
2.680°
RMS Residual
0.43 sec
Last Updated
2024-04-20 19:32:54 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Vao, New Caledonia?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 292 km E of Vao, New Caledonia on February 5, 2024 at 07:29 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 -22.9445°, 170.3281°, which is 292 km E of Vao, New Caledonia.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ly0a). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, February 5, 2024). M5.0 Earthquake 292 km E of Vao, New CaledoniaFebruary 5, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ly0a/