Light · M4.0–4.9

Magnitude 4 Earthquakes

Light earthquakes are felt by most people indoors and can rattle windows and dishes, but they rarely cause meaningful damage to well-built structures.

Class

Light

Per year (global)

~13,000

Last 12 months

3,809

Since 1900

110,979

Largest recorded

M5.0

What a magnitude 4 earthquake means

Light earthquakes are felt by most people indoors and can rattle windows and dishes, but they rarely cause meaningful damage to well-built structures.

Typical effects. Noticeable shaking of indoor objects; a rumbling sound; occasional cracked plaster near the epicentre. Serious damage is uncommon.

Magnitude is logarithmic: each whole step is about 32× more energy, so a magnitude 4 releases far more energy than the band below it. But felt shaking and damage also depend on depth, distance and local geology.

Recent magnitude 4 earthquakes

The most recent events recorded in the M4.0–4.9 range, worldwide.

4.5
89 km SSE of Pondaguitan, Philippines
October 26, 2026 · 75 km deep
4.7
72 km S of Basco, Philippines
October 24, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.6
73 km ENE of Kinablangan, Philippines
October 23, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.5
18 km WNW of Bantogon, Philippines
October 23, 2026 · 591 km deep
4.4
26 km WSW of Balangonan, Philippines
October 20, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.6
7 km SE of San Julian, Philippines
October 20, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.7
10 km SE of Lamitan, Philippines
October 16, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.9
31 km ENE of Kinablangan, Philippines
October 16, 2026 · 74 km deep
4.6
67 km N of Namuac, Philippines
October 15, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.8
8 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines
October 13, 2026 · 66 km deep
4.7
124 km N of Pagudpud, Philippines
October 13, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.6
109 km SSE of Pondaguitan, Philippines
October 11, 2026 · 121 km deep
4.6
17 km NNE of Santa Cruz, Philippines
October 9, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.7
34 km E of Sarangani, Philippines
October 7, 2026 · 117 km deep
4.3
297 km SSE of Tabiauan, Philippines
October 6, 2026 · 563 km deep
4.8
191 km ESE of Sarangani, Philippines
October 5, 2026 · 51 km deep
4.5
293 km SSE of Tabiauan, Philippines
October 3, 2026 · 575 km deep
4.8
78 km WSW of San Nicolas, Philippines
October 2, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.5
104 km SSE of Sarangani, Philippines
September 30, 2026 · 157 km deep
4.8
18 km SW of Tayaman, Philippines
September 30, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.7
49 km N of Dicabisagan, Philippines
September 29, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.9
124 km SE of Pondaguitan, Philippines
September 28, 2026 · 78 km deep
4.7
65 km E of Pilar, Philippines
September 28, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.9
43 km W of Palauig, Philippines
September 28, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.2
21 km ENE of Lais, Philippines
September 23, 2026 · 150 km deep
4.6
46 km E of Union, Philippines
September 22, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.6
19 km ENE of Nailong, Philippines
September 22, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.8
70 km N of Claveria, Philippines
September 22, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.6
54 km S of Sarangani, Philippines
September 21, 2026 · 10 km deep
4.6
2 km S of Buenavista, Philippines
September 20, 2026 · 87 km deep

FAQ

Magnitude 4 earthquakes: common questions

What is a magnitude 4 earthquake?+

Light earthquakes are felt by most people indoors and can rattle windows and dishes, but they rarely cause meaningful damage to well-built structures. On the moment-magnitude scale, magnitude 4 covers M4.0–4.9. Noticeable shaking of indoor objects; a rumbling sound; occasional cracked plaster near the epicentre. Serious damage is uncommon.

How often do magnitude 4 earthquakes happen?+

About ~13,000 earthquakes in the M4.0–4.9 range occur worldwide each year. Our catalog recorded 3,809 in the last 12 months and 110,979 since 1900.

How much damage does a magnitude 4 earthquake cause?+

Noticeable shaking of indoor objects; a rumbling sound; occasional cracked plaster near the epicentre. Serious damage is uncommon. Impact depends far more on depth, distance to people and building quality than on magnitude alone — a shallow magnitude 4 under a city is far more dangerous than a deep one far offshore.