M4.5 Earthquake 4 km SE of San Jose de Buan, Philippines — January 16, 2021
2021-01-16 22:37:45 UTC (2021-01-16) · approx. 6:37 AM UTC+8 local
On January 16, 2021 at 22:37 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck 4 km SE of San Jose de Buan, Philippines, at a depth of 80.2 km and coordinates 12.0214°, 125.0465°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — 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
125.0465°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near San Jose de Buan, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 4 km SE of San Jose de Buan, Philippines on January 16, 2021 at 22:37 UTC had a depth of 80.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 12.0214°, 125.0465°, which is 4 km SE of San Jose de Buan, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 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 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000d35z). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, January 16, 2021). M4.5 Earthquake 4 km SE of San Jose de Buan, Philippines — January 16, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000d35z/