M4.6 Earthquake 31 km ENE of Cortes, Philippines — December 14, 2023
2023-12-14 22:05:05 UTC (2023-12-14) · approx. 6:05 AM UTC+8 local
On December 14, 2023 at 22:05 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 31 km ENE of Cortes, Philippines, at a depth of 38.5 km and coordinates 9.3475°, 126.4703°. This earthquake was detected by 49 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 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
Earthquake Details
126.4703°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Cortes, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 31 km ENE of Cortes, Philippines on December 14, 2023 at 22:05 UTC had a depth of 38.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 9.3475°, 126.4703°, which is 31 km ENE of Cortes, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lj50). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 14, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake 31 km ENE of Cortes, Philippines — December 14, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lj50/