M4.4 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 23, 2023
2023-12-23 22:29:30 UTC (2023-12-23) · approx. 8:29 AM UTC+10 local
On December 23, 2023 at 22:29 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 9.9 km and coordinates 18.6553°, 146.3002°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 60 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 655 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
146.3002°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.4 earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands on December 23, 2023 at 22:29 UTC had a depth of 9.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.4 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000m1pk). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 23, 2023). M4.4 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 23, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m1pk/