M4.8 Earthquake 65 km ENE of Barcelona, Philippines — December 26, 2023
2023-12-26 10:20:27 UTC (2023-12-26) · approx. 6:20 PM UTC+8 local
On December 26, 2023 at 10:20 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 65 km ENE of Barcelona, Philippines, at a depth of 58.9 km and coordinates 8.4863°, 126.9279°. This earthquake was detected by 83 seismic stations with excellent 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.
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
126.9279°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Barcelona, Philippines?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 65 km ENE of Barcelona, Philippines on December 26, 2023 at 10:20 UTC had a depth of 58.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 8.4863°, 126.9279°, which is 65 km ENE of Barcelona, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.
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.
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 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000llh7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 26, 2023). M4.8 Earthquake 65 km ENE of Barcelona, Philippines — December 26, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000llh7/