A significant MAG-5.1 earthquake struck under land 44 kilometer from Juanjuí in Peru in the early afternoon of Thursday November 9th, 2023.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Peru, 44 kilometer (27 mi) north of Juanjuí in San Martín. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 128 km.
| Date and Time: | Nov 9, 2023 12:50 (Lima Time) - Nov 9, 2023 17:50 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 44 km north of Juanjuí, San Martín, Peru. Coordinates 6°47'19"S 76°40'36"W. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.1 Detected by 364 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.03 . |
| Depth: | 128 km (79 mi) An intermediate depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely Tsunami's are usually caused by MAG-6.5+ earthquakes, less than 100km shallow, and with an epicenter under sea. Neither of this seems to be the case. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Peru . Located 31 kilometer (19 mi) north-northwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Bellavista (San Martín, Peru) is the nearest significant population center.
Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Trujillo is located 299 km to the west-southwest. Pucallpa is located 293 km to the south-east. Cajamarca is located 206 km to the west-southwest.
The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 31 km (19 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Bellavista San Martín, Peru. |
| 44 km (27 mi) S from epicenter |
Juanjuí San Martín, Peru. |
| 49 km (30 mi) NE from epicenter |
La Banda San Martín, Peru. |
| 90 km (56 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Moyobamba San Martín, Peru. |
| 98 km (61 mi) NW from epicenter |
Rioja San Martín, Peru. |
| 116 km (72 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Yurimaguas Loreto, Peru. |
| 146 km (91 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Chachapoyas Amazonas, Peru. |
| 157 km (98 mi) S from epicenter |
Tocache San Martín, Peru. |
| 187 km (116 mi) S from epicenter |
Uchiza San Martín, Peru. |
| 190 km (118 mi) SW from epicenter |
Huamachuco La Libertad, Peru. |
| 206 km (128 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Cajamarca Cajamarca, Peru. |
| 226 km (140 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Bagua Grande Amazonas, Peru. |
| 234 km (145 mi) WNW from epicenter |
La Peca Amazonas, Peru. |
| 264 km (164 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Jaén Cajamarca, Peru. |
| 289 km (180 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Tingo María Huanuco, Peru. |
| 290 km (180 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Laredo La Libertad, Peru. |
| 292 km (181 mi) SW from epicenter |
Virú La Libertad, Peru. |
| 293 km (182 mi) SE from epicenter |
Pucallpa Ucayali, Peru. |
| 296 km (184 mi) SE from epicenter |
San Fernando Ucayali, Peru. |
| 299 km (186 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Trujillo La Libertad, Peru. |
| 300 km (186 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Moche La Libertad, Peru. |
Risk of aftershocks?
This earthquake did not have any significant foreshocks nor aftershocks occurring within 100km (62 mi) of its epicenter.
Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.
In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this are common in the region
Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since December 22nd, 2022, when a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit 282 km (175 mi) further east-southeast. An even stronger magnitude 8 earthquake struck on May 26th, 2019.
In total, 12 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 10 months.
Tsunami very unlikely
It is very unlikely that this eartquake will cause any tsunami's. The reported magnitude is lower than the MAG-6.5 strength required to cause any earthquakes. In addition, this earthquake was not very shallow and appears to have occurred under land. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 128 km (79 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 09/12/23 01:48 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000l9x5
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20231109_0000234
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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