5.0

M5.0 Earthquake in the Mariana Islands region — May 2, 2021

2021-05-02 23:01:25 UTC (2021-05-02) · approx. 9:01 AM UTC+10 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mb)
Time23:01 UTC≈ 9:01 AM UTC+10
Depth35.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates17.906°, 147.046°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 2, 2021 at 23:01 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Mariana Islands region, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 17.9062°, 147.0458°.

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 17.91°, 147.05°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mb
Depth
35.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
17.9062°N
147.0458°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000dzkp
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Azimuthal Gap
79.0°
Min Station Distance
2.926°
RMS Residual
0.71 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 18:57:51 UTC

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 May 2, 2021 at 23:01 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 17.9062°, 147.0458°, 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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000dzkp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 2, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake in the Mariana Islands region — May 2, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000dzkp/