Pagan Island, Northern Mariana Islands — A magnitude 4.9 earthquake rumbled deep beneath the remote Pagan region of the Northern Mariana Islands early Tuesday morning, striking at about 2:09 a.m. Central Time.

**What happened:** The quake centered about 250 kilometers — roughly 155 miles — below the surface near Pagan Island, in the northern chain of the Marianas, northeast of Guam. The U.S. Geological Survey reviewed and confirmed the event, with seismic stations across the Pacific picking it up.

**Impacts:** Because this quake happened so deep underground, shaking at the surface would have been minimal — no felt reports have come in so far. There is no tsunami threat, and the USGS issued no damage alert. Pagan Island itself is largely uninhabited, and no injuries or damage have been reported.

**What to do:**

- If you feel shaking, drop, cover, and hold on until it stops.

- Stay clear of damaged structures and anything that could fall.

- Expect aftershocks — they can be strong enough to do damage on their own.

- Check gas, water, and electrical lines for damage before using them.

*Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), October 20, 2026.*