The 02 January 2018 ML 5.0 Oued Djer Earthquake in the Seismotectonic Context of the Southwestern Mitidja Basin Area, North-Central Algeria

A moderate earthquake (M L 5.0) occurred in the Oued Djer region of the Tell Atlas, Algiers Province, Central Algeria, on 02 January 2018 (20:59:00 UTC), 10 km southwest of Mitidja Basin (36.39° N, 2.54° E), at a depth of 4 km. The earthquake is significant because it occurred immediately south of the epicentral area of the 1988 M S 5.4 Oued Djer Earthquake and a few kilometers west of the 1867 Mouzaïa-El Afroun Earthquake, a large historic event (I 0 = IX EMS-98). In this study seismological, morphotectonic, and geological field data were collected to identify the likely seismogenic structure and give new insight to better understand the seismotectonic configuration of the study area. The mainshock–aftershock sequence was recorded by the Algerian Digital Seismic Network, and a temporary seismic network installed 1 day after the mainshock. By analyzing 97 relocated aftershocks (1.0