5.3

M5.3 Earthquake near central East Pacific RiseDecember 8, 2024

2024-12-08 16:26:06 UTC (2024-12-08) · approx. 9:26 AM UTC-7 local

MagnitudeM5.3(mww)
Time16:26 UTC9:26 AM UTC-7
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-8.996°, -109.587°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 8, 2024 at 16:26 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck near central East Pacific Rise, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -8.9965°, -109.5871°. This earthquake was detected by 60 seismic stations with moderate 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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -9.00°, -109.59°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.3 mww
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-8.9965°N
-109.5871°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000nx3c
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
432
Stations Used
60
Azimuthal Gap
213.0°
Min Station Distance
20.386°
RMS Residual
0.81 sec
Last Updated
2025-02-15 18:31:03 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near central East Pacific Rise?

The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck near central East Pacific Rise on December 8, 2024 at 16:26 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 -8.9965°, -109.5871°, which is near central East Pacific Rise.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000nx3c). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 8, 2024). M5.3 Earthquake near central East Pacific RiseDecember 8, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000nx3c/