4.5

M4.5 Earthquake 20 km E of Dolores, PhilippinesNovember 23, 2022

2022-11-23 20:48:49 UTC (2022-11-23) · approx. 4:48 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.5(mb)
Time20:48 UTC4:48 AM UTC+8
Depth35.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates17.634°, 120.906°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On November 23, 2022 at 20:48 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 20 km E of Dolores, Philippines, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 17.6337°, 120.9064°. This earthquake was detected by 45 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.

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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 17.63°, 120.91°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.5 mb
Depth
35.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
17.6337°N
120.9064°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000it1h
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
312
Stations Used
45
Azimuthal Gap
120.0°
Min Station Distance
5.160°
RMS Residual
1.16 sec
Last Updated
2023-01-30 06:01:20 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Dolores, Philippines?

The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 20 km E of Dolores, Philippines on November 23, 2022 at 20:48 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 17.6337°, 120.9064°, which is 20 km E of Dolores, 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: us7000it1h). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, November 23, 2022). M4.5 Earthquake 20 km E of Dolores, PhilippinesNovember 23, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000it1h/