5.0

M5.0 Earthquake 57 km SE of Hualien City, TaiwanApril 6, 2024

2024-04-06 01:37:49 UTC (2024-04-06) · approx. 9:37 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time01:37 UTC9:37 AM UTC+8
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates23.633°, 122.027°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On April 6, 2024 at 01:37 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 57 km SE of Hualien City, Taiwan, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 23.6327°, 122.0266°. This earthquake was detected by 76 seismic stations with excellent 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 Taiwan, a region characterized by the collision of the Luzon volcanic arc with the Eurasian continental margin, where the Philippine Sea Plate converges at 80 mm per year. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 23.63°, 122.03°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
23.6327°N
122.0266°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000mace
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Stations Used
76
Azimuthal Gap
87.0°
Min Station Distance
0.711°
RMS Residual
0.85 sec
Last Updated
2024-06-12 21:51:55 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Hualien City, Taiwan?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 57 km SE of Hualien City, Taiwan on April 6, 2024 at 01:37 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 23.6327°, 122.0266°, which is 57 km SE of Hualien City, Taiwan. View all earthquakes in Taiwan.

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 Taiwan had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in Taiwan was the M7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake of September 21, 1999. Today's magnitude 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000mace). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, April 6, 2024). M5.0 Earthquake 57 km SE of Hualien City, TaiwanApril 6, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000mace/