M5.3 Earthquake in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 27, 2024
2024-12-27 10:43:49 UTC (2024-12-27) · approx. 8:43 PM UTC+10 local
On December 27, 2024 at 10:43 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 deep-focus earthquake struck in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 416.1 km and coordinates 19.5156°, 144.7414°. This earthquake was detected by 259 seismic stations with good 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.
Earthquake Details
144.7414°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands on December 27, 2024 at 10:43 UTC had a depth of 416.1 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 19.5156°, 144.7414°, which is in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000pfvu). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 27, 2024). M5.3 Earthquake in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 27, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pfvu/