M4.2 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 24, 2023
2023-12-24 18:45:20 UTC (2023-12-24) · approx. 4:45 AM UTC+10 local
On December 24, 2023 at 18:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 216.2 km and coordinates 18.5319°, 145.5250°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
145.5250°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands on December 24, 2023 at 18:45 UTC had a depth of 216.2 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 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000m1r1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 24, 2023). M4.2 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 24, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m1r1/