M4.9 Earthquake 265 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — August 3, 2020
2020-08-03 12:45:52 UTC (2020-08-03) · approx. 10:45 PM UTC+10 local
On August 3, 2020 at 12:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 265 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 17.0398°, 147.3569°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
147.3569°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 265 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on August 3, 2020 at 12:45 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 17.0398°, 147.3569°, which is 265 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000b8pv). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 3, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake 265 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — August 3, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000b8pv/