M4.7 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 20, 2023
2023-12-20 03:22:53 UTC (2023-12-20) · approx. 1:22 PM UTC+10 local
On December 20, 2023 at 03:22 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 18.8104°, 146.9772°. This earthquake was detected by 56 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 340, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
146.9772°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands on December 20, 2023 at 03:22 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 18.8104°, 146.9772°, which is in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000m1ct). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 20, 2023). M4.7 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 20, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m1ct/