M4.9 Earthquake 193 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — July 20, 2026
2026-07-20 19:14:04 UTC (11 hours ago) · approx. 5:14 AM UTC+10 local
On July 20, 2026 at 19:14 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 193 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 15.8467°, 147.4393°. This earthquake was detected by 88 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, 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.
Earthquake Details
147.4393°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 193 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on July 20, 2026 at 19:14 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 15.8467°, 147.4393°, which is 193 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000t20d). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 20, 2026). M4.9 Earthquake 193 km ENE of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — July 20, 2026. Retrieved July 20, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000t20d/