M4.7 Earthquake 70 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico — December 13, 2024
2024-12-13 08:52:58 UTC (2024-12-13) · approx. 2:52 AM UTC-6 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.2 mainshock.
On December 13, 2024 at 08:52 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 70 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico, at a depth of 34.1 km and coordinates 14.3484°, -92.9469°. This earthquake was detected by 52 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 340, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred 2 days ago 85 km SW of El Arenal, Mexico. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 5 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
The epicenter is located in Mexico, a region characterized by the Middle America Trench, where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Middle America Trench. View all earthquakes in Mexico.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-92.9469°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 70 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico on December 13, 2024 at 08:52 UTC had a depth of 34.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 14.3484°, -92.9469°, which is 70 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico. View all earthquakes in Mexico.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.2 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.7 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred earlier 85 km SW of El Arenal, Mexico. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Has Mexico had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Mexico was the M8.1 Chiapas earthquake of September 8, 2017. Today's magnitude 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000nydz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 13, 2024). M4.7 Earthquake 70 km SW of Puerto Madero, Mexico — December 13, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000nydz/