M4.6 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — September 26, 2023
2023-09-26 20:05:12 UTC (2023-09-26) · approx. 6:05 AM UTC+10 local
On September 26, 2023 at 20:05 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 57.2 km and coordinates 18.2549°, 146.8184°. This earthquake was detected by 50 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
146.8184°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands on September 26, 2023 at 20:05 UTC had a depth of 57.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 18.2549°, 146.8184°, which is in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000lays). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, September 26, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — September 26, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000lays/