M4.6 Earthquake 62 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — September 9, 2026
2026-09-09 17:59:02 UTC (2026-09-09) · approx. 3:59 AM UTC+10 local
On September 9, 2026 at 17:59 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 62 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 56.2 km and coordinates 15.2793°, 146.3353°. This earthquake was detected by 12 seismic stations with moderate 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.
Earthquake Details
146.3353°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 62 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on September 9, 2026 at 17:59 UTC had a depth of 56.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 15.2793°, 146.3353°, which is 62 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
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.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000thuj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 9, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 62 km E of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — September 9, 2026. Retrieved October 2, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000thuj/