4.5

M4.5 Earthquake 87 km NNW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina — December 6, 2024

2024-12-06 21:52:06 UTC (2024-12-06) · approx. 5:52 PM UTC-4 local

MagnitudeM4.5(mb)
Time21:52 UTC≈ 5:52 PM UTC-4
Depth227.8 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates-23.500°, -66.677°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 6, 2024 at 21:52 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck 87 km NNW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina, at a depth of 227.8 km and coordinates -23.5003°, -66.6774°. This earthquake was detected by 21 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -23.50°, -66.68°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.5 mb
Depth
227.8 km
intermediate depth
Location
-23.5003°N
-66.6774°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000nwr5
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
312
Stations Used
21
Azimuthal Gap
77.0°
Min Station Distance
1.485°
RMS Residual
0.59 sec
Last Updated
2025-02-15 18:30:33 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina?

The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 87 km NNW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina on December 6, 2024 at 21:52 UTC had a depth of 227.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -23.5003°, -66.6774°, which is 87 km NNW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000nwr5). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 6, 2024). M4.5 Earthquake 87 km NNW of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina — December 6, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000nwr5/