M4.7 Earthquake 12 km ESE of Culaman, Philippines — March 17, 2023
2023-03-17 19:37:58 UTC (2023-03-17) · approx. 3:37 AM UTC+8 local
Aftershock of the M5.1 mainshock.
On March 17, 2023 at 19:37 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 intermediate depth earthquake struck 12 km ESE of Culaman, Philippines, at a depth of 120.5 km and coordinates 5.9215°, 125.7693°. This earthquake was detected by 143 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 340, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.1 mainshock that occurred 19 days ago 22 km ENE of Lapuan, Philippines. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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
125.7693°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Culaman, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 12 km ESE of Culaman, Philippines on March 17, 2023 at 19:37 UTC had a depth of 120.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 5.9215°, 125.7693°, which is 12 km ESE of Culaman, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.1 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.7 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.1 mainshock that occurred earlier 22 km ENE of Lapuan, Philippines. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000jky8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, March 17, 2023). M4.7 Earthquake 12 km ESE of Culaman, Philippines — March 17, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000jky8/