M5.0 Earthquake in the Mariana Islands region — September 23, 2026
2026-09-23 13:01:51 UTC (13 hours ago) · approx. 11:01 PM UTC+10 local
On September 23, 2026 at 13:01 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 deep-focus earthquake struck in the Mariana Islands region, at a depth of 306.0 km and coordinates 21.6622°, 143.0239°. This earthquake was detected by 140 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
143.0239°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the Mariana Islands region?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck in the Mariana Islands region on September 23, 2026 at 13:01 UTC had a depth of 306.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 21.6622°, 143.0239°, which is in the Mariana Islands region.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000tx38). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 23, 2026). M5.0 Earthquake in the Mariana Islands region — September 23, 2026. Retrieved September 24, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000tx38/