M4.7 Earthquake near Bacnotan, Philippines — 13 November 2025
A light earthquake of magnitude 4.7 was recorded near Bacnotan, Philippines on , with an epicentre 17 km west of Bacnotan, at a focal depth of 74.8 km.
Time (UTC): 2025-11-13 09:57:16
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 4.7 (light)
Focal depth: 74.8 km (intermediate)
Epicentre: 16.7356, 120.1860
Location: 17 km W of Bacnotan, Philippines
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items.
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake radiates roughly 169 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 341, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 16.7356, 120.1860 — 17 km west of Bacnotan. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 5.2 earthquake 9 km southeast of here on 24 May 2025.
Why the 75 km depth matters
At 75 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.7 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
56 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.6 event near Pagudpud on 30 December 2024. This M4.7 event released about 22 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the November 2025 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M5.2 earthquake near San Fernando, Philippines — (9 km SE)
- M5.3 earthquake near Bacnotan, Philippines — (27 km NW)
- M4.8 earthquake near Calongbuyan, Philippines — (44 km N)
- M4.6 earthquake near Binabalian, Philippines — (52 km W)
- M4.7 earthquake near Agno, Philippines — (88 km SSW)
- M4.5 earthquake near Eguia, Philippines — (93 km SSW)
- M4.8 earthquake near Catuday, Philippines — (95 km WSW)
- M4.5 earthquake near Catuday, Philippines — (98 km W)
- M4.6 earthquake near Catuday, Philippines — (101 km WSW)
- M4.4 earthquake near Macabuboni, Philippines — (102 km WSW)
Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.9 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
- M4.4 earthquake near Fiji region —
- M4.6 earthquake near Honmachi, Japan —
- M4.9 earthquake near Matsubase, Japan —
- M4.4 earthquake near Ollagüe, Chile —
- M4.4 earthquake near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M4.4 earthquake near Volcano Islands, Japan region —
- M4.5 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 4.7 earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items. A magnitude 4.7 earthquake radiates roughly 169 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Bacnotan?
At 75 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
Was the M4.7 earthquake near Bacnotan felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.7 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near Bacnotan?
56 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.6 event near Pagudpud on 30 December 2024. This M4.7 event released about 22 times less energy than that event.