M5.0 Earthquake 86 km E of Sarangani, Philippines — December 21, 2021
2021-12-21 02:55:12 UTC (2021-12-21) · approx. 10:55 AM UTC+8 local
On December 21, 2021 at 02:55 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck 86 km E of Sarangani, Philippines, at a depth of 70.3 km and coordinates 5.3810°, 126.2414°.
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.
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
126.2414°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 86 km E of Sarangani, Philippines on December 21, 2021 at 02:55 UTC had a depth of 70.3 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 5.3810°, 126.2414°, which is 86 km E of Sarangani, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
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.
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 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000g8z1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 21, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake 86 km E of Sarangani, Philippines — December 21, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000g8z1/