M4.5 Earthquake 42 km E of Pondaguitan, Philippines — December 13, 2021
2021-12-13 16:23:38 UTC (2021-12-13) · approx. 12:23 AM UTC+8 local
Aftershock of the M5.0 mainshock.
On December 13, 2021 at 16:23 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 42 km E of Pondaguitan, Philippines, at a depth of 47.3 km and coordinates 6.3790°, 126.5576°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred 26 days ago 44 km SE of Lukatan, Philippines. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 1 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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
126.5576°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Pondaguitan, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 42 km E of Pondaguitan, Philippines on December 13, 2021 at 16:23 UTC had a depth of 47.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 6.3790°, 126.5576°, which is 42 km E of Pondaguitan, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.5 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 44 km SE of Lukatan, Philippines. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gcuz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 13, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake 42 km E of Pondaguitan, Philippines — December 13, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gcuz/