M4.7 Earthquake 189 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — December 13, 2024
2024-12-13 22:45:17 UTC (2024-12-13) · approx. 8:45 AM UTC+10 local
On December 13, 2024 at 22:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 189 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 60.4 km and coordinates 16.5649°, 146.8354°. This earthquake was detected by 42 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
146.8354°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 189 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on December 13, 2024 at 22:45 UTC had a depth of 60.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 16.5649°, 146.8354°, which is 189 km NE 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: us7000nyqi). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 13, 2024). M4.7 Earthquake 189 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — December 13, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000nyqi/