M6.3 Earthquake 2 km ESE of Calatagan, Philippines — December 24, 2020
2020-12-24 23:43:41 UTC (2020-12-24) · approx. 7:43 AM UTC+8 local
Felt by 283 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 5.2 (strong).
On December 24, 2020 at 23:43 UTC, a magnitude 6.3 intermediate depth earthquake struck 2 km ESE of Calatagan, Philippines, at a depth of 109.0 km and coordinates 13.8200°, 120.6539°. The earthquake was reported felt by 283 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 5.2 (strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Sabang (population 3,470).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 13 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Philippines, a region characterized by the Manila Trench and Philippine Trench subduction systems, where the Philippine Sea Plate overrides the Eurasian Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Philippine Fault. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 5.2 (strong), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Moderate shaking that everyone in the area would feel. Sleeping people are awakened. Dishes and windows may break. Unstable objects may be knocked over.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 283 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 15,787,898 |
| MMI 4 | light | 40,281,520 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 1,343,252 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 3,389 |
Earthquake Details
120.6539°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.3 earthquake near Calatagan, Philippines?
The magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck 2 km ESE of Calatagan, Philippines on December 24, 2020 at 23:43 UTC had a depth of 109.0 km. It was felt by 283 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 5.2 (strong). For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 13.8200°, 120.6539°, which is 2 km ESE of Calatagan, Philippines. The nearest populated place is Sabang (population 3,470). View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.3 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months and gradually diminish over time.
Has Philippines had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Philippines was the M8.0 Mindanao earthquake of August 17, 1976. Today's magnitude 6.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000d2ra). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 24, 2020). M6.3 Earthquake 2 km ESE of Calatagan, Philippines — December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000d2ra/