M5.0 Earthquake in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 14, 2023
2023-12-14 19:45:09 UTC (2023-12-14) · approx. 5:45 AM UTC+10 local
On December 14, 2023 at 19:45 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 21.8 km and coordinates 19.9470°, 145.4364°. This earthquake was detected by 66 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
145.4364°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands on December 14, 2023 at 19:45 UTC had a depth of 21.8 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 19.9470°, 145.4364°, which is in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lj40). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 14, 2023). M5.0 Earthquake in the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands — December 14, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lj40/