M4.5 Earthquake 69 km E of Cortes, Philippines — December 28, 2023
2023-12-28 20:35:56 UTC (2023-12-28) · approx. 4:35 AM UTC+8 local
On December 28, 2023 at 20:35 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 69 km E of Cortes, Philippines, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 9.2977°, 126.8191°. This earthquake was detected by 25 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
126.8191°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Cortes, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 69 km E of Cortes, Philippines on December 28, 2023 at 20:35 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 9.2977°, 126.8191°, which is 69 km E of Cortes, 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: us6000m2ib). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 28, 2023). M4.5 Earthquake 69 km E of Cortes, Philippines — December 28, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000m2ib/