Pagan Island, Northern Mariana Islands — A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck deep beneath the Pagan region of the Northern Mariana Islands on Thursday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

What happened:

The quake hit at 8:55 PM Central Time on Thursday, November 12, centered in the waters near Pagan Island, about 136 miles below the surface. That depth — nearly 220 kilometers — is far deeper than most earthquakes, and deep quakes like this one usually shake the ground far less at the surface than a shallow quake of the same size.

Impacts:

No shaking reports have come in so far, and no damage has been reported. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has not issued any tsunami threat for this quake, and none is expected from an earthquake this deep. Pagan Island itself is uninhabited, with no towns or settlements near the epicenter.

What to do:

If you felt shaking, drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table, and hold on until the shaking stops. Stay away from windows and anything that could fall. Check your home for hazards like gas leaks or broken glass, and be ready for aftershocks, which can follow a quake like this one.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), November 12, 2026.