M4.7 Earthquake 142 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — December 16, 2023
2023-12-16 20:17:00 UTC (2023-12-16) · approx. 6:17 AM UTC+10 local
On December 16, 2023 at 20:17 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 142 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 41.1 km and coordinates 15.6967°, 146.9846°. This earthquake was detected by 70 seismic stations with good 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.
Earthquake Details
146.9846°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 142 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on December 16, 2023 at 20:17 UTC had a depth of 41.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 15.6967°, 146.9846°, which is 142 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ljkt). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 16, 2023). M4.7 Earthquake 142 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — December 16, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ljkt/