4.7

M4.7 Earthquake 117 km E of Aras-asan, PhilippinesDecember 14, 2023

2023-12-14 22:44:01 UTC (2023-12-14) · approx. 6:44 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.7(mb)
Time22:44 UTC6:44 AM UTC+8
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates8.749°, 127.375°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 14, 2023 at 22:44 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 117 km E of Aras-asan, Philippines, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 8.7494°, 127.3747°. This earthquake was detected by 74 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.

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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 8.75°, 127.37°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.7 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
8.7494°N
127.3747°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000lj58
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
340
Stations Used
74
Azimuthal Gap
89.0°
Min Station Distance
2.439°
RMS Residual
0.63 sec
Last Updated
2024-02-17 22:43:10 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Aras-asan, Philippines?

The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 117 km E of Aras-asan, Philippines on December 14, 2023 at 22:44 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 8.7494°, 127.3747°, which is 117 km E of Aras-asan, 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.

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: us7000lj58). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 14, 2023). M4.7 Earthquake 117 km E of Aras-asan, PhilippinesDecember 14, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lj58/