4.8

M4.8 Earthquake 3 km NW of Hukay, Philippines — April 13, 2021

2021-04-13 18:39:55 UTC (2021-04-13) · approx. 2:39 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.8(mb)
Time18:39 UTC≈ 2:39 AM UTC+8
Depth202.6 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates13.869°, 120.677°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On April 13, 2021 at 18:39 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck 3 km NW of Hukay, Philippines, at a depth of 202.6 km and coordinates 13.8687°, 120.6771°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 13.87°, 120.68°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.8 mb
Depth
202.6 km
intermediate depth
Location
13.8687°N
120.6771°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000e1sa
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
354
Azimuthal Gap
39.0°
Min Station Distance
8.298°
RMS Residual
0.74 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 18:56:16 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Hukay, Philippines?

The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 3 km NW of Hukay, Philippines on April 13, 2021 at 18:39 UTC had a depth of 202.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 13.8687°, 120.6771°, which is 3 km NW of Hukay, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days 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 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000e1sa). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, April 13, 2021). M4.8 Earthquake 3 km NW of Hukay, Philippines — April 13, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000e1sa/