USGS · September 17, 2026
Magnitude 5.1 earthquake — 77 km SSW of San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake was recorded near 77 km SSW of San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands on Sep 17, 2026, 04:06 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10), at a depth of about 110.8 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 6 people · community intensity III (weak)Intermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-16 20:46 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 5.1 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 77 km SSW of San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 17, 2026, 04:06 AM — UTC+10
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-16 18:06 UTC
- Depth
- 110.8 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- 14.287, 145.473
- Felt reports
- Felt by 6 people · community intensity III (weak)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 402 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 199 seismic stations used · 20° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 16,338 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose Village | 77.4 km NNE | 15,000 |
| Chalan Piao village | 98.1 km NNE | 1,338 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
1 other event within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 77 km SSW of San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands
SeismoWatch pushes a notification to your Android phone within minutes of a matching earthquake — for the area and magnitude you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 77 km SSW of San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands earthquake?
Magnitude 5.1 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 110.8 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Exactly when did it happen?
Sep 17, 2026, 04:06 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10). In universal time: 2026-09-16 18:06 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 6 people · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is San Jose Village, 77.4 km NNE (population 15,000).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.8 (32 km S of Inarajan Village, Guam, 1993), and 1 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.