M5.3 Earthquake 75 km WSW of Basco, Philippines — April 23, 2024
2024-04-23 12:55:11 UTC (2024-04-23) · approx. 8:55 PM UTC+8 local
On April 23, 2024 at 12:55 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 75 km WSW of Basco, Philippines, at a depth of 22.4 km and coordinates 20.1109°, 121.3468°. This earthquake was detected by 72 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 432, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — 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
121.3468°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Basco, Philippines?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 75 km WSW of Basco, Philippines on April 23, 2024 at 12:55 UTC had a depth of 22.4 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 20.1109°, 121.3468°, which is 75 km WSW of Basco, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000mt6s). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, April 23, 2024). M5.3 Earthquake 75 km WSW of Basco, Philippines — April 23, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000mt6s/