M5.3 Earthquake 15 km WNW of Niksar, Turkey — March 13, 2026
2026-03-13 00:35:15 UTC (2026-03-13) · approx. 2:35 AM UTC+2 local
Felt by 8 people across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 7.0 (very strong).
On March 13, 2026 at 00:35 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 15 km WNW of Niksar, Turkey, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 40.6413°, 36.7796°. The earthquake was reported felt by 8 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 7.0 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 90 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 437, 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 Turkey, a region characterized by the North Anatolian Fault, a 1,500 km transform boundary driven by the westward extrusion of the Anatolian microplate. The nearest mapped fault system is the North Anatolian Fault. View all earthquakes in Turkey.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 8 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
36.7796°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Niksar, Turkey?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 15 km WNW of Niksar, Turkey on March 13, 2026 at 00:35 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. It was felt by 8 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 7.0 (very strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 40.6413°, 36.7796°, which is 15 km WNW of Niksar, Turkey. View all earthquakes in Turkey.
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 Turkey had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Turkey was the M7.8 Kahramanmaraş earthquake of February 6, 2023. Today's magnitude 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000sfyj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, March 13, 2026). M5.3 Earthquake 15 km WNW of Niksar, Turkey — March 13, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000sfyj/