A shallow and significant M5.1 earthquake struck in the North Pacific Ocean 197 kilometer from Tamuning, Guam in the late afternoon of Thursday September 12th, 2024.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the North Pacific Ocean, 171 kilometers (106 mi) off the coast of Guam, 197 kilometer south-southwest of Tamuning. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 15 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Sep 12, 2024 16:20 (Guam Time) - Sep 12, 2024 06:20 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 197 km SSW of Tamuning, Guam. Coordinates 12°0'0"N 143°47'17"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.1 Detected by 139 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.048 . |
| Depth: | 15 km (9 mi) A very shallow depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Guam . Located 194 kilometer (121 mi) south-southwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Guam Government House (Hagatna, Guam) is the nearest significant population center.
A complete list of nearby places is included below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 194 km (121 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Guam Government House Hagatna, Guam. |
| 194 km (121 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Hagåtña Hagatna, Guam. |
| 195 km (121 mi) NE from epicenter |
Mangilao Village Mangilao, Guam. |
| 197 km (122 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Tamuning Tamuning, Guam. |
| 197 km (122 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon Village Tamuning, Guam. |
| 204 km (127 mi) NE from epicenter |
Dededo Village Dededo, Guam. |
| 208 km (129 mi) NE from epicenter |
Yigo Village Yigo, Guam. |
Risk of aftershocks?
We have not yet detected any foreshocks or aftershocks (MAG-2.5 or higher) within 100km (62 mi) of this earthquake.
Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.
The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since July 11th, 2024, when a 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit 53 km (33 mi) further north-east. An even stronger magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck on September 17th, 2014.
In total, 59 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 2 months.
Low tsunami risk
Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 15 km (9 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 23/09/24 00:18 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000nd8k
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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