M4.9 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — October 17, 2022
2022-10-17 22:23:20 UTC (2022-10-17) · approx. 8:23 AM UTC+10 local
On October 17, 2022 at 22:23 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 62.7 km and coordinates 18.2341°, 146.5822°. This earthquake was detected by 70 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
146.5822°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands on October 17, 2022 at 22:23 UTC had a depth of 62.7 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 18.2341°, 146.5822°, which is in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000iuf7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, October 17, 2022). M4.9 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — October 17, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000iuf7/