M4.7 Earthquake 276 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — May 21, 2025
2025-05-21 20:11:11 UTC (2025-05-21) · approx. 6:11 AM UTC+10 local
On May 21, 2025 at 20:11 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 276 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 32.2 km and coordinates 17.2447°, 147.2647°. This earthquake was detected by 119 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
147.2647°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 276 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on May 21, 2025 at 20:11 UTC had a depth of 32.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 17.2447°, 147.2647°, which is 276 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: us7000q0m6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, May 21, 2025). M4.7 Earthquake 276 km NE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — May 21, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000q0m6/