April 5, 1990 Earthquake: Saipan, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Territories
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Saipan, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Territories on April 5, 1990 at 21:12:35 UTC, 11 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- April 5, 1990
- Time
- 21:12:35 UTC
- Place
- Saipan, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Territories
- Magnitude
- 7.5 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 11 km (7 mi)
- Intensity
- 4 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 15.125° N, 147.596° E
- Country
- US Territories
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
April 5, 1990, 2:12:35.5 UTC, 15.125 N, 147.596 E, depth 11 km 6.5 mb, 7.5 MS, Mariana Islands region. Felt (IV) on Guam. Also felt on Saipan. A small tsunami was generated with maximum wave heights (peak-to-trough) at selected tide stations as follows: 24 cm at Murata-misaki, 24 cm at Kailua-Kona, 23 cm on Chichi-shima, 22 cm at Tosahimizu, 19 cm at Yaene, 6 cm on Midway, 4 cm on Wake island and 3 cm on Truke. A tsunami was also observed on Guam and reported on Tinian and Saipan. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 1990The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1990Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5229.