Earthquakes in the Northern Mariana Islands — December 2025

6 earthquakes were recorded in the Northern Mariana Islands during December 2025, an average of 0.2 per day.

6 reached magnitude 4 or above and 2 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 145 km.

The month's largest event in the Northern Mariana Islands was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake near San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands on 15 December 2025 at 23:06 UTC. A magnitude 5.8 earthquake radiates roughly 7,558 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is well above the the Northern Mariana Islands monthly average of 3 events over the period we cover — an unusually active month, and up from the 3 recorded the previous month.

0% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 100% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). A substantial share of intermediate-depth events points to a subducting slab beneath the region rather than purely crustal faulting.

By band, the catalogue holds 4 in the magnitude 4 range, 2 in the magnitude 5 range.

Activity peaked on 15 December, when 2 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M5.8 near San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands on 15 December at 126 km; M5.7 near San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands on 15 December at 100 km; M4.8 near Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands on 04 December at 89 km.

That is 76% above the 3 events the Northern Mariana Islands averages per month across the 20 months on record.

This month also holds the strongest earthquake recorded in the Northern Mariana Islands in our entire catalogue.