4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 85 km W of Cabittaogan, PhilippinesDecember 1, 2024

2024-12-01 14:33:38 UTC (2024-12-01) · approx. 10:33 PM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time14:33 UTC10:33 PM UTC+8
Depth17.6 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates17.621°, 119.556°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 1, 2024 at 14:33 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 85 km W of Cabittaogan, Philippines, at a depth of 17.6 km and coordinates 17.6209°, 119.5558°. This earthquake was detected by 54 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.

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 17.62°, 119.56°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
17.6 km
shallow crustal
Location
17.6209°N
119.5558°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000nva5
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
54
Azimuthal Gap
115.0°
Min Station Distance
5.364°
RMS Residual
0.91 sec
Last Updated
2025-02-02 00:54:34 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Cabittaogan, Philippines?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 85 km W of Cabittaogan, Philippines on December 1, 2024 at 14:33 UTC had a depth of 17.6 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 17.6209°, 119.5558°, which is 85 km W of Cabittaogan, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.

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.

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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000nva5). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 1, 2024). M4.6 Earthquake 85 km W of Cabittaogan, PhilippinesDecember 1, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000nva5/