M4.9 Earthquake 31 km SSW of Sarangani, Philippines — December 17, 2020
2020-12-17 12:38:55 UTC (2020-12-17) · approx. 8:38 PM UTC+8 local
On December 17, 2020 at 12:38 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 31 km SSW of Sarangani, Philippines, at a depth of 62.4 km and coordinates 5.1239°, 125.3912°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 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
125.3912°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 31 km SSW of Sarangani, Philippines on December 17, 2020 at 12:38 UTC had a depth of 62.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 5.1239°, 125.3912°, which is 31 km SSW of Sarangani, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 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 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000crsf). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 17, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake 31 km SSW of Sarangani, Philippines — December 17, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000crsf/