M3.8 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — May 16, 2025
2025-05-16 20:31:03 UTC (2025-05-16) · approx. 6:31 AM UTC+10 local
On May 16, 2025 at 20:31 UTC, a magnitude 3.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 210.6 km and coordinates 18.7106°, 145.5349°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 7.6 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 252 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
145.5349°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.8 earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 3.8 earthquake that struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands on May 16, 2025 at 20:31 UTC had a depth of 210.6 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.8 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000qgvr). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, May 16, 2025). M3.8 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — May 16, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000qgvr/