4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 1 km ESE of Boton, PhilippinesSeptember 3, 2021

2021-09-03 21:23:22 UTC (2021-09-03) · approx. 5:23 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time21:23 UTC5:23 AM UTC+8
Depth55.6 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates12.924°, 124.058°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 3, 2021 at 21:23 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 1 km ESE of Boton, Philippines, at a depth of 55.6 km and coordinates 12.9238°, 124.0580°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 12.92°, 124.06°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
55.6 km
shallow crustal
Location
12.9238°N
124.0580°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000f9z6
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Azimuthal Gap
58.0°
Min Station Distance
6.007°
RMS Residual
0.82 sec
Last Updated
2021-11-17 17:19:56 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Boton, Philippines?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 1 km ESE of Boton, Philippines on September 3, 2021 at 21:23 UTC had a depth of 55.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 12.9238°, 124.0580°, which is 1 km ESE of Boton, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000f9z6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, September 3, 2021). M4.6 Earthquake 1 km ESE of Boton, PhilippinesSeptember 3, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000f9z6/