M5.1 Earthquake 33 km E of Loreto, Philippines — January 3, 2023
2023-01-03 11:43:09 UTC (2023-01-03) · approx. 7:43 PM UTC+8 local
On January 3, 2023 at 11:43 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 33 km E of Loreto, Philippines, at a depth of 57.0 km and coordinates 10.3251°, 125.8803°. This earthquake was detected by 135 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
Earthquake Details
125.8803°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Loreto, Philippines?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 33 km E of Loreto, Philippines on January 3, 2023 at 11:43 UTC had a depth of 57.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 10.3251°, 125.8803°, which is 33 km E of Loreto, 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: us7000j1td). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 3, 2023). M5.1 Earthquake 33 km E of Loreto, Philippines — January 3, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j1td/