5.0

M5.0 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — October 20, 2026

2026-10-20 02:54:15 UTC (5 hours ago) · approx. 12:54 PM UTC+10 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time02:54 UTC≈ 12:54 PM UTC+10
Depth129.4 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates18.253°, 146.035°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On October 20, 2026 at 02:54 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 129.4 km and coordinates 18.2529°, 146.0345°. This earthquake was detected by 71 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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 18.25°, 146.03°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
129.4 km
intermediate depth
Location
18.2529°N
146.0345°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000u3jd
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Stations Used
71
Azimuthal Gap
74.0°
Min Station Distance
3.011°
RMS Residual
1.01 sec
Last Updated
2026-10-20 07:05:17 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands on October 20, 2026 at 02:54 UTC had a depth of 129.4 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 18.2529°, 146.0345°, which is in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000u3jd). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, October 20, 2026). M5.0 Earthquake in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — October 20, 2026. Retrieved October 20, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000u3jd/