M4.6 Earthquake 130 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — April 18, 2024
2024-04-18 18:45:00 UTC (2024-04-18) · approx. 4:45 AM UTC+10 local
On April 18, 2024 at 18:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 130 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 34.6 km and coordinates 15.8946°, 146.7414°. This earthquake was detected by 44 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.
Earthquake Details
146.7414°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 130 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on April 18, 2024 at 18:45 UTC had a depth of 34.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 15.8946°, 146.7414°, which is 130 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000mczy). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, April 18, 2024). M4.6 Earthquake 130 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — April 18, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000mczy/