M4.7 Earthquake 21 km NE of Basco, Philippines — August 12, 2026
2026-08-12 21:25:22 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 5:25 AM UTC+8 local
On August 12, 2026 at 21:25 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 21 km NE of Basco, Philippines, at a depth of 17.3 km and coordinates 20.5600°, 122.1435°. This earthquake was detected by 29 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 340, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 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
122.1435°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Basco, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 21 km NE of Basco, Philippines on August 12, 2026 at 21:25 UTC had a depth of 17.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 20.5600°, 122.1435°, which is 21 km NE of Basco, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 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 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000tkax). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 12, 2026). M4.7 Earthquake 21 km NE of Basco, Philippines — August 12, 2026. Retrieved August 12, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000tkax/