M4.5 Earthquake 17 km WNW of Palora, Ecuador — September 15, 2026
2026-09-15 23:45:06 UTC (4 hours ago) · approx. 6:45 PM UTC-5 local
On September 15, 2026 at 23:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck 17 km WNW of Palora, Ecuador, at a depth of 155.8 km and coordinates -1.6157°, -78.0940°. This earthquake was detected by 53 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.
Earthquake Details
-78.0940°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Palora, Ecuador?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 17 km WNW of Palora, Ecuador on September 15, 2026 at 23:45 UTC had a depth of 155.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -1.6157°, -78.0940°, which is 17 km WNW of Palora, Ecuador.
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: us7000thr4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 15, 2026). M4.5 Earthquake 17 km WNW of Palora, Ecuador — September 15, 2026. Retrieved September 16, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000thr4/