5.0

M5.0 Earthquake in the Mariana Islands region — April 15, 2021

2021-04-15 04:44:47 UTC (2021-04-15) · approx. 1:44 PM UTC+9 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mww)
Time04:44 UTC≈ 1:44 PM UTC+9
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates12.433°, 141.589°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On April 15, 2021 at 04:44 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Mariana Islands region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 12.4334°, 141.5893°.

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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 12.43°, 141.59°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mww
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
12.4334°N
141.5893°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000e1pk
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Azimuthal Gap
38.0°
Min Station Distance
3.396°
RMS Residual
0.78 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 18:56:20 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the Mariana Islands region?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck in the Mariana Islands region on April 15, 2021 at 04:44 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 12.4334°, 141.5893°, which is in the Mariana Islands region.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000e1pk). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, April 15, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake in the Mariana Islands region — April 15, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000e1pk/