M4.5 Earthquake 6 km NW of Āwash, Ethiopia — September 16, 2026
2026-09-16 12:33:23 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 3:33 PM UTC+3 local
On September 16, 2026 at 12:33 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 6 km NW of Āwash, Ethiopia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 9.0247°, 40.1300°. This earthquake was detected by 22 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.
Earthquake Details
40.1300°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Āwash, Ethiopia?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 6 km NW of Āwash, Ethiopia on September 16, 2026 at 12:33 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 9.0247°, 40.1300°, which is 6 km NW of Āwash, Ethiopia.
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: us7000thts). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 16, 2026). M4.5 Earthquake 6 km NW of Āwash, Ethiopia — September 16, 2026. Retrieved September 16, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000thts/