Earthquakes medium

M 5.1 Earthquake 77 km SSW of San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands

Source: USGS · Northern Mariana Islands

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 77 km SSW of San Jose Village. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M5.1 is classified "Moderate". Among the 1,740 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M5.1 event ranks stronger than 65% of them (rank #454 by magnitude).

This earthquake report, quickly

Magnitude
M 5.1
USGS class
Moderate
Location
77 km SSW of San Jose Village
Archive rank
#454 of 1,740
Source
USGS
Published
September 16, 2026
MODERATE

Out of 1,740 earthquake reports Areazine has logged, this one outranks 65% of them — 453 recorded a higher magnitude.

Record status: a point-in-time USGS detection. Aftershocks, revised magnitude, and felt-report data continue to update on USGS's own event page after publication.

What Happened

A magnitude 5.1 mww earthquake occurred at 14.2866°N, 145.4729°E, 77 km SSW of San Jose Village, Northern Mariana Islands. The event took place at 2026-09-16 12:46:40 UTC at a depth of 110.79 km.

Location Details

The hypocenter was located 77 km south-southwest of San Jose Village. At 110.79 km depth, this is classified as a deep earthquake (greater than 70 km).

Impact Assessment

The earthquake was felt by 4 people, with a maximum reported intensity of 3.4 on the Community Decimal Intensity scale. No tsunami was generated (tsunami flag: 0) and no alert level was issued.

What You Should Know

Earthquakes of this magnitude are classified as moderate and can cause damage to poorly constructed buildings. Residents should be prepared for possible aftershocks and follow standard earthquake safety procedures.

Source

Data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Event page

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

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Questions & Answers

What people usually ask about a notice like this one.

What was the magnitude of this event? ▾
A magnitude 5.1 mww earthquake struck 77 km SSW of San Jose Village in the Northern Mariana Islands at a depth of 110.79 km.
What does a magnitude 5.1 ("Moderate") earthquake mean? ▾
The USGS classifies M5.1 as "Moderate" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are often felt near the epicenter and can cause minor damage to vulnerable structures, though widespread damage is uncommon.
How does this compare with other earthquakes Areazine has reported? ▾
This is the #454 strongest of the 1,740 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 65% of them and weaker than 453 others.
Was San Jose Village likely to feel this earthquake? ▾
This event was centered 77 km SSW of San Jose Village. Shaking intensity falls off sharply with distance from the epicenter and depends on depth and local geology, so check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data rather than assuming from magnitude and distance alone.

Primary source data

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