What is the point on Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's focus called?

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The point on Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake’s focus is called the epicenter.

The focus, also called the hypocenter, is the underground point where fault rupture begins and seismic energy is released. The epicenter is found by projecting that point vertically upward to Earth’s surface. Seismologists locate it by comparing arrival times of earthquake waves recorded at multiple stations.

The epicenter is not necessarily where the strongest damage occurs. Large earthquakes can rupture faults across long distances, and local geology, building quality, depth, and wave direction can make damage worse far from the epicenter. The 2002 Denali earthquake in Alaska is a well-known example of damage being concentrated away from the epicenter.

A fault line or fault scarp is a surface feature or fracture-related structure, not the name for the point above the focus. Magnitude describes the energy released by the earthquake, while intensity describes the shaking and damage experienced at particular locations.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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