M4.8 Earthquake 42 km NNW of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — September 15, 2023
2023-09-15 08:00:48 UTC (2023-09-15) · approx. 6:00 PM UTC+10 local
On September 15, 2023 at 08:00 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 42 km NNW of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 15.5466°, 145.5517°. This earthquake was detected by 33 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
145.5517°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 42 km NNW of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on September 15, 2023 at 08:00 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 15.5466°, 145.5517°, which is 42 km NNW of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000kwxj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, September 15, 2023). M4.8 Earthquake 42 km NNW of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — September 15, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kwxj/