M5.3 Earthquake 137 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — April 3, 2024
2024-04-03 00:05:01 UTC (2024-04-03) · approx. 10:05 AM UTC+10 local
On April 3, 2024 at 00:05 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 137 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 15.8214°, 146.8668°. This earthquake was detected by 43 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 432, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
146.8668°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 137 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on April 3, 2024 at 00:05 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 15.8214°, 146.8668°, which is 137 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000mbhn). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, April 3, 2024). M5.3 Earthquake 137 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — April 3, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000mbhn/