In the North Pacific Ocean 180 kilometer from Dededo Village, Guam, a shallow and significant Magnitude 5.3 earthquake occurred in the evening of Friday December 27th, 2024.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the North Pacific Ocean, 147 kilometers (91 mi) off the coast of Guam, 180 kilometer south-southwest of Dededo Village in Dededo. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Dec 27, 2024 19:30 (Guam Time) - Dec 27, 2024 09:30 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 180 km SSW of Dededo Village, Dededo, Guam. Coordinates 12°9'37"N 143°55'47"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 20 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.069 . |
| Depth: | 10 km (6 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 171 kilometer (106 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 |
|---|---|
| 171 km (106 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Guam Government House Hagatna, Guam. |
| 171 km (106 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Hagåtña Hagatna, Guam. |
| 172 km (107 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Mangilao Village Mangilao, Guam. |
| 174 km (108 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Tamuning Tamuning, Guam. |
| 174 km (108 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon Village Tamuning, Guam. |
| 180 km (112 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Dededo Village Dededo, Guam. |
| 185 km (115 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.
The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.
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 September 14th, 2024, when a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit 103 km (64 mi) further north-northeast. An even stronger magnitude 6 earthquake struck on February 13th, 2022.
In total, 40 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 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 3 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 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 10 km (6 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 25/01/25 00:48 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000pfvi
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20241227_0000110
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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