M4.5 Earthquake 172 km SE of Pondaguitan, Philippines — October 2, 2023
2023-10-02 20:59:08 UTC (2023-10-02) · approx. 4:59 AM UTC+8 local
On October 2, 2023 at 20:59 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 172 km SE of Pondaguitan, Philippines, at a depth of 66.8 km and coordinates 5.0962°, 127.0894°. This earthquake was detected by 24 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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.
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
127.0894°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Pondaguitan, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 172 km SE of Pondaguitan, Philippines on October 2, 2023 at 20:59 UTC had a depth of 66.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 5.0962°, 127.0894°, which is 172 km SE 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.
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: us6000ldhs). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, October 2, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 172 km SE of Pondaguitan, Philippines — October 2, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000ldhs/