4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 126 km NNE of Basco, PhilippinesAugust 26, 2026

2026-08-26 09:51:22 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 5:51 PM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time09:51 UTC5:51 PM UTC+8
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates21.537°, 122.327°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On August 26, 2026 at 09:51 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 126 km NNE of Basco, Philippines, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 21.5368°, 122.3274°. This earthquake was detected by 45 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 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 21.54°, 122.33°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
21.5368°N
122.3274°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000tby1
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
45
Azimuthal Gap
109.0°
Min Station Distance
1.721°
RMS Residual
0.50 sec
Last Updated
2026-08-26 10:59:59 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Basco, Philippines?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 126 km NNE of Basco, Philippines on August 26, 2026 at 09:51 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 21.5368°, 122.3274°, which is 126 km NNE of Basco, Philippines. View all earthquakes in Philippines.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000tby1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 26, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 126 km NNE of Basco, PhilippinesAugust 26, 2026. Retrieved August 26, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000tby1/