M4.5 Earthquake 1 km ESE of Bulan, Philippines — January 17, 2025
2025-01-17 19:28:06 UTC (2025-01-17) · approx. 3:28 AM UTC+8 local
On January 17, 2025 at 19:28 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 1 km ESE of Bulan, Philippines, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 12.6656°, 123.8852°. This earthquake was detected by 16 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
123.8852°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Bulan, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 1 km ESE of Bulan, Philippines on January 17, 2025 at 19:28 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 12.6656°, 123.8852°, which is 1 km ESE of Bulan, 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: us6000pmlc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, January 17, 2025). M4.5 Earthquake 1 km ESE of Bulan, Philippines — January 17, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pmlc/