M4.8 Earthquake near Kuril Islands — July 16, 2025
2025-07-16 09:03:40 UTC (2025-07-16) · approx. 7:03 PM UTC+10 local
Aftershock of the M5.9 mainshock.
On July 16, 2025 at 09:03 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Kuril Islands, at a depth of 42.8 km and coordinates 48.1271°, 154.4595°. This earthquake was detected by 95 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.9 mainshock that occurred 21 days ago 296 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 1 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
154.4595°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Kuril Islands?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck near Kuril Islands on July 16, 2025 at 09:03 UTC had a depth of 42.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 48.1271°, 154.4595°, which is near Kuril Islands.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.9 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.8 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.9 mainshock that occurred earlier 296 km SSW of Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000qcyp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, July 16, 2025). M4.8 Earthquake near Kuril Islands — July 16, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000qcyp/