Mag. 4.3 earthquake - 20 km north of Puerto Cabezas, Bilwi, North Caribbean Coast, Nicaragua, on Thursday, 3 Dec 2020 2:09 am (GMT -6) -
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Light magnitude 4.3 earthquake at 13 km depth
3 Dec 08:14 UTC: First to report: INETER after 4 minutes.
3 Dec 08:21: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.3. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 10.0 to 15.0 km (from 6.2 to 9.3 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 15 km (9.3 mi) towards E.
3 Dec 11:56: Hypocenter depth recalculated from 15.0 to 14.0 km (from 9.3 to 8.7 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards W.
3 Dec 12:00: Hypocenter depth recalculated from 14.0 to 13.0 km (from 8.7 to 8.1 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 3.4 km (2.1 mi) towards NW.
3 Dec 08:21: Magnitude recalculated from 4.2 to 4.3. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 10.0 to 15.0 km (from 6.2 to 9.3 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 15 km (9.3 mi) towards E.
3 Dec 11:56: Hypocenter depth recalculated from 15.0 to 14.0 km (from 9.3 to 8.7 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 1.2 km (0.7 mi) towards W.
3 Dec 12:00: Hypocenter depth recalculated from 14.0 to 13.0 km (from 8.7 to 8.1 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 3.4 km (2.1 mi) towards NW.
Update Thu, 3 Dec 2020, 08:15
Light magnitude 4.2 quake hits 18 km northwest of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua early morning 
4.2 quake 19 Km Al Noroeste De Bilwi, Nicaragua, 3 Dec 2.09 am (GMT -6)
An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 occurred early morning on Thursday 3 December 2020 at 2.09 am local time near Puerto Cabezas, Bilwi, North Caribbean Coast, Nicaragua, as reported by the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies (INETER).
According to preliminary data, the quake was located at a shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Puerto Cabezas (pop. 33,600) located 18 km from the epicenter.
Other towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Waspam (pop. 6,400) located 83 km from the epicenter, and Auka (pop. 1,300) 93 km away.
According to preliminary data, the quake was located at a shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Puerto Cabezas (pop. 33,600) located 18 km from the epicenter.
Other towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Waspam (pop. 6,400) located 83 km from the epicenter, and Auka (pop. 1,300) 93 km away.
Earthquake data:
Local time at epicenter: Thursday, 3 Dec 2020 2:09 am (GMT -6)
Magnitude: 4.3
Depth: 13.0 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude: 14.21°N / 83.368°W
(North Caribbean Coast, Nicaragua)Nearest volcano: Volcán Azul (194 km / 121 mi)
Nearby towns and cities:
20 km (12 mi) N of Puerto Cabezas (Bilwi) (pop: 33,600) --> See nearby quakes!
88 km (55 mi) SE of Waspan (Waspam) (pop: 6,400) --> See nearby quakes!
133 km (83 mi) E of Bonanza (pop: 6,320) --> See nearby quakes!
161 km (100 mi) ENE of Siuna (pop: 16,100) --> See nearby quakes!
246 km (153 mi) NE of Rio Blanco (Río Blanco, Matagalpa) (pop: 17,000) --> See nearby quakes!
246 km (153 mi) NNE of El Rama (South Caribbean Coast) (pop: 20,500) --> See nearby quakes!
248 km (154 mi) N of Bluefields (South Caribbean Coast) (pop: 44,400) --> See nearby quakes!
310 km (193 mi) ENE of Matagalpa (pop: 109,100) --> See nearby quakes!
386 km (240 mi) NE of Masaya (pop: 130,100) --> See nearby quakes!
388 km (241 mi) NE of Managua (pop: 973,100) --> See nearby quakes!
Weather at epicenter at time of quake:
Overcast Clouds
22.9°C (73 F), humidity: 97%, wind: 2 m/s (4 kts) from N
Primary data source: INETER
Overcast Clouds
22.9°C (73 F), humidity: 97%, wind: 2 m/s (4 kts) from NEstimated released energy: 1.8 x 1011 joules (49.4 megawatt hours, equivalent to 42.5 tons of TNT) More info
Data for the same earthquake reported by different agencies
Info: The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.
| Magnitude | Depth | Location | Source |
| M 4.3 | 13 km | 20 Km Al Norte De Bilwi, Nicaragua | INETER |
| M 4.2 | 10 km | NICARAGUA | EMSC |
User reports for this quake
User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale.
There are no user reports for this quake yet. If you felt it be the first to report it!
Earlier earthquakes in the same area since 1900
Mag. 4.3 earthquake - 20 km north of Puerto Cabezas, Bilwi, North Caribbean Coast, Nicaragua, on Thursday, 3 Dec 2020 2:09 am (GMT -6)- Date / time UTC| Mag |Depth|Age|Distance| Details
- 21 Nov 2002 02:53| 5.8 |7.5km / 4.7mi|18 years ago|239km / 149mi| Caribbean Sea (Colombia)
- 12 May 2019 19:25| 5.7 |10km / 6.2mi|1 year 36 weeks ago|139km / 86mi| Caribbean Sea (Nicaragua)
- 13 Aug 2000 07:04| 5.5 |10km / 6.2mi|20 years ago|242km / 150mi| Caribbean Sea (Nicaragua)
- 14 Oct 2020 10:16| 5.3 |10km / 6.2mi|14 weeks ago|190km / 118mi| 22 Km Al Norte De Laguna De Perlas, Nicaragua
- 13 Aug 2000 06:28| 5.2 |10km / 6.2mi|20 years ago|249km / 155mi| Caribbean Sea (Nicaragua)
- 05 Jul 1974 20:09| 5.2 |23km / 14mi|47 years ago|186km / 116mi| Caribbean Sea (Nicaragua)
- 09 Jul 1974 17:37| 5.0 |33km / 21mi|47 years ago|173km / 108mi| Caribbean Sea (Nicaragua)
- 08 Jul 2009 03:42| 4.9 |24km / 15mi|12 years ago|133km / 82mi| Nicaragua
- 06 Sep 2012 13:13| 4.8 |15km / 9.3mi|8 years ago|17km / 11mi| Nicaragua
- 19 Apr 2014 21:51| 4.6 |30km / 19mi|7 years ago|102km / 63mi| Nicaragua
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