5.1

M5.1 Earthquake 79 km SE of Lukatan, PhilippinesMay 5, 2022

2022-05-05 10:37:31 UTC (2022-05-05) · approx. 6:37 PM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM5.1(mb)
Time10:37 UTC6:37 PM UTC+8
Depth53.1 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates6.556°, 126.984°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 5, 2022 at 10:37 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 79 km SE of Lukatan, Philippines, at a depth of 53.1 km and coordinates 6.5556°, 126.9838°. This earthquake was detected by 129 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 6.56°, 126.98°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.1 mb
Depth
53.1 km
shallow crustal
Location
6.5556°N
126.9838°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000h78u
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
400
Stations Used
129
Azimuthal Gap
50.0°
Min Station Distance
1.485°
RMS Residual
0.86 sec
Last Updated
2022-07-09 21:40:03 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Lukatan, Philippines?

The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 79 km SE of Lukatan, Philippines on May 5, 2022 at 10:37 UTC had a depth of 53.1 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 6.5556°, 126.9838°, which is 79 km SE of Lukatan, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 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 5.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000h78u). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, May 5, 2022). M5.1 Earthquake 79 km SE of Lukatan, PhilippinesMay 5, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000h78u/