M4.4 Earthquake 183 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — December 24, 2023
2023-12-24 18:38:26 UTC (2023-12-24) · approx. 4:38 AM UTC+10 local
On December 24, 2023 at 18:38 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 183 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 15.0557°, 147.4546°.
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
147.4546°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.4 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck 183 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on December 24, 2023 at 18:38 UTC had a depth of 10.0 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: us6000m1r0). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 24, 2023). M4.4 Earthquake 183 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — December 24, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m1r0/