M5.0 Earthquake 48 km SW of Santa Teresa, Philippines — February 8, 2021
2021-02-08 23:24:39 UTC (2021-02-08) · approx. 7:24 AM UTC+8 local
On February 8, 2021 at 23:24 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 48 km SW of Santa Teresa, Philippines, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 11.9604°, 120.7767°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 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
Earthquake Details
120.7767°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Santa Teresa, Philippines?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 48 km SW of Santa Teresa, Philippines on February 8, 2021 at 23:24 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 11.9604°, 120.7767°, which is 48 km SW of Santa Teresa, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000dfr7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, February 8, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake 48 km SW of Santa Teresa, Philippines — February 8, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000dfr7/