4.5

M4.5 Earthquake 4 km WSW of Bigaan, PhilippinesMarch 19, 2025

2025-03-19 22:35:23 UTC (2025-03-19) · approx. 6:35 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.5(mb)
Time22:35 UTC6:35 AM UTC+8
Depth8.4 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates8.305°, 126.243°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 19, 2025 at 22:35 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km WSW of Bigaan, Philippines, at a depth of 8.4 km and coordinates 8.3046°, 126.2426°. This earthquake was detected by 41 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 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 8.30°, 126.24°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.5 mb
Depth
8.4 km
shallow crustal
Location
8.3046°N
126.2426°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000pn4j
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
312
Stations Used
41
Azimuthal Gap
102.0°
Min Station Distance
1.392°
RMS Residual
0.65 sec
Last Updated
2025-05-29 17:36:34 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Bigaan, Philippines?

The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 4 km WSW of Bigaan, Philippines on March 19, 2025 at 22:35 UTC had a depth of 8.4 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 8.3046°, 126.2426°, which is 4 km WSW of Bigaan, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 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 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000pn4j). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, March 19, 2025). M4.5 Earthquake 4 km WSW of Bigaan, PhilippinesMarch 19, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000pn4j/