M8.6

2012 Indian Ocean Earthquake

Wharton Basin, Indian Ocean — April 11, 2012

The 2012 Indian Ocean earthquake was a remarkable intraplate strike-slip event, one of the largest ever recorded on oceanic crust away from a subduction zone. Its unusual mechanism surprised seismologists and provided new insights into how oceanic plates deform under stress.

Earthquake Facts

Magnitude

M8.6

Date

Apr 11, 2012

Depth

20 km

Latitude

2.327°

Longitude

93.063°

Tsunami

No

Region

Indian Ocean

Tectonic Cause

Strike-slip intraplate earthquake within the Indo-Australian Plate in the Wharton Basin. The earthquake ruptured multiple conjugate faults simultaneously, an exceptionally rare occurrence.

Sources & Further Reading

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