4.9

M4.9 Earthquake 13 km NE of San Juan, PhilippinesDecember 27, 2025

2025-12-27 18:26:23 UTC (2025-12-27) · approx. 2:26 AM UTC+8 local

Felt by 5 people across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM4.9(mb)
Time18:26 UTC2:26 AM UTC+8
Depth64.2 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates15.386°, 120.138°
Felt by5DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 27, 2025 at 18:26 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 13 km NE of San Juan, Philippines, at a depth of 64.2 km and coordinates 15.3857°, 120.1378°. This earthquake was detected by 163 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 371, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — 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 15.39°, 120.14°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 5 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M4.9 earthquake near 13 km NE of San Juan, Philippines

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.9 mb
Depth
64.2 km
shallow crustal
Location
15.3857°N
120.1378°E
Felt Reports
5
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
4.0
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000rl3l
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
371
Stations Used
163
Azimuthal Gap
73.0°
Min Station Distance
7.446°
RMS Residual
0.73 sec
Last Updated
2026-04-01 22:48:23 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near San Juan, Philippines?

The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 13 km NE of San Juan, Philippines on December 27, 2025 at 18:26 UTC had a depth of 64.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 15.3857°, 120.1378°, which is 13 km NE of San Juan, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 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 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

What should I do after an earthquake?

If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000rl3l). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, December 27, 2025). M4.9 Earthquake 13 km NE of San Juan, PhilippinesDecember 27, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000rl3l/