M4.6 Earthquake 257 km NNE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — October 6, 2022
2022-10-06 17:25:40 UTC (2022-10-06) · approx. 3:25 AM UTC+10 local
On October 6, 2022 at 17:25 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 257 km NNE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 17.1594°, 147.0716°. This earthquake was detected by 35 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
147.0716°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 257 km NNE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on October 6, 2022 at 17:25 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 17.1594°, 147.0716°, which is 257 km NNE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000iszu). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, October 6, 2022). M4.6 Earthquake 257 km NNE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — October 6, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000iszu/