M5.2 Earthquake near Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands — 27 December 2024
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.2 was recorded near Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands on , at a focal depth of 402.1 km.
Time (UTC): 2024-12-27 10:43:47
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 5.2 (moderate)
Focal depth: 402.1 km (deep)
Epicentre: 19.5251, 144.7660
Location: Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake radiates roughly 951 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 416, 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 19.5251, 144.7660. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.3 earthquake 17 km south-southwest of here on 27 April 2025.
Why the 402 km depth matters
At 402 km this was a deep-focus earthquake, occurring well inside the subducting slab rather than in the crust. Deep events are rarely damaging even at large magnitudes, though they can be felt over very long distances.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its deep focus normally weakens surface shaking while spreading perceptible motion over a broad area.
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 M5.2 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 402 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly. 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.
48 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.5 event near Pagan region on 14 April 2026. This M5.2 event released about 2.8 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 December 2024 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.3 earthquake near Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands — (17 km SSW)
- M4.3 earthquake near Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands — (44 km SSE)
- M4.3 earthquake near Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — (66 km SSE)
- M4.7 earthquake near Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands — (78 km ESE)
- M4.8 earthquake near Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — (96 km SE)
- M4.3 earthquake near Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — (101 km SE)
- M5.5 earthquake near Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — (101 km SE)
- M4.5 earthquake near Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — (101 km SE)
- M4.9 earthquake near Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands — (103 km SE)
- M4.2 earthquake near Mariana Islands region — (103 km WNW)
Other magnitude 5 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.9 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
- M5.2 earthquake near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M5.2 earthquake near Tsunō, Japan —
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
- M4.9 earthquake near Matsubase, Japan —
- M5.1 earthquake near Tristan da Cunha region —
- M5.1 earthquake near Tristan da Cunha region —
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 5.2 earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area. A magnitude 5.2 earthquake radiates roughly 951 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Maug Islands region?
At 402 km this was a deep-focus earthquake, occurring well inside the subducting slab rather than in the crust. Deep events are rarely damaging even at large magnitudes, though they can be felt over very long distances.
Was the M5.2 earthquake near Maug Islands region 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 can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its deep focus normally weakens surface shaking while spreading perceptible motion over a broad area.
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 M5.2 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 402 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly. 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 Maug Islands region?
48 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.5 event near Pagan region on 14 April 2026. This M5.2 event released about 2.8 times less energy than that event.