Reviewed by USGSEcuador84y ago
M6.2 earthquake 19 km SSW of Lomas de Sargentillo, Ecuador
Saturday, January 30, 1943, 05:33:04 UTC · 2.051°S, 80.147°W
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck 19 km SSW of Lomas de Sargentillo, Ecuador on Saturday, January 30, 1943, 05:33:04 UTC, at a depth of 58.7 km (shallow). It is the strongest earthquake within 300 km since an M6.3 on December 15, 1942.
- Magnitude
- 6.2
- Strong · mw
- Depth
- 59 km
- Shallow
- Felt reports
- 0
- Did You Feel It?
- Est. shaking
- VI
- Strong (ShakeMap)
- PAGER alert
- None
- Not issued
- Tsunami
- No flag
- USGS feed
Outlined circle: this earthquakeColoured lines: estimated shaking intensity (USGS ShakeMap)
In context
How big was it, and why here?
Energy released
32 kilotons of TNT
That is about 2 times the Hiroshima bomb. It released about 68 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0.
Tectonic setting
76 km
from the nearest mapped plate boundary, between the North Andes and South American plates. Earthquakes cluster along boundaries like this one, where plates collide, pull apart or slide past each other.
Depth: shallow
59 km
Shallow earthquakes (under 70 km) produce the strongest surface shaking for their size, so they are the ones most likely to cause damage near the epicenter.
Did You Feel It?
Where it was felt
No “Did You Feel It?” reports have been published for this event yet. If you felt it, you can add your report on the USGS website.
I felt it — report to USGS ↗USGS PAGER estimate
Who was exposed to shaking
USGS publishes PAGER impact estimates for significant earthquakes, usually within an hour. No PAGER estimate is available for this event.
After the main event
Aftershocks within 100 km
USGS has not published any M2.5+ earthquake within 100 km in the 30 days after this event.
Regional history
Past M5+ earthquakes within 300 km
USGS lists 21 M5.0+ earthquakes within 300 km before this one (catalog from 1900; older records are less complete). The strongest:
- 7.812 km SE of Pedernales, EcuadorMay 14, 1942 · 227 km N of this epicenter
- 6.846 km SW of Paján, EcuadorOctober 2, 1933 · 71 km W of this epicenter
- 6.629 km SE of Pedernales, EcuadorJuly 12, 1942 · 215 km N of this epicenter
- 6.5113 km WNW of Manta, EcuadorNovember 19, 1942 · 239 km NW of this epicenter
- 6.427 km WSW of Muisne, EcuadorMay 17, 1942 · 287 km N of this epicenter
- 6.468 km W of Pedernales, EcuadorNovember 12, 1942 · 236 km N of this epicenter
- 6.4129 km WNW of Manta, EcuadorNovember 19, 1942 · 240 km NW of this epicenter
History · NOAA
Deadliest earthquakes in this area
NOAA’s significant-earthquake database lists 18 damaging, deadly or tsunami-generating earthquakes within 300 km of this epicenter since 1700, which together caused about 41,240 recorded deaths. The most severe:
- 1797M8.3
Riobamba, Quito, Cuzco; Peru; Colombia
4 Feb 1797 · 170 km away · intensity XI
40,000 deathsExtreme damage ($25M+)tsunami
- 1757M7.0
Cotopaxi,Tungurahua, Latacunga
22 Feb 1757 · 214 km away · intensity IX
1,000 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
- 1942M7.9
Guayaquil
14 May 1942 · 209 km away · intensity IX
200 deaths$3 million damage
- 1924M6.9
Ecuador
3 Mar 1924 · 179 km away
40 deathsLimited damage (under $1M)
- 1938M7.0
Alangasi,Sangolqui,Tingo-Pichincha
10 Aug 1938 · 275 km away · intensity X
Extreme damage ($25M+)
- 1913M7.7
Gonzanama, San Pedro, Molleture
24 Feb 1913 · 162 km away · intensity VII
Severe damage ($5–24M)
NOAA NCEI Global Significant Earthquake Database. Historical figures are estimates; older records are incomplete.