M4.5 Earthquake 188 km SSW of Tual, Indonesia — December 20, 2024
2024-12-20 22:56:19 UTC (2024-12-20) · approx. 7:56 AM UTC+9 local
On December 20, 2024 at 22:56 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 188 km SSW of Tual, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -7.0873°, 131.8732°. This earthquake was detected by 19 seismic stations with good 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.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
131.8732°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Tual, Indonesia?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 188 km SSW of Tual, Indonesia on December 20, 2024 at 22:56 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -7.0873°, 131.8732°, which is 188 km SSW of Tual, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
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.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000p0hy). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 20, 2024). M4.5 Earthquake 188 km SSW of Tual, Indonesia — December 20, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000p0hy/