M4.5 Earthquake 31 km SE of Saiki, Japan — September 25, 2020
2020-09-25 19:57:04 UTC (2020-09-25) · approx. 4:57 AM UTC+9 local
On September 25, 2020 at 19:57 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 31 km SE of Saiki, Japan, at a depth of 49.5 km and coordinates 32.7439°, 132.1239°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Japan, a region characterized by the intersection of four tectonic plates — Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian, and North American — creating multiple subduction zones. The nearest mapped fault system is the Japan Trench. View all earthquakes in Japan.
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Earthquake Details
132.1239°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Saiki, Japan?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 31 km SE of Saiki, Japan on September 25, 2020 at 19:57 UTC had a depth of 49.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 32.7439°, 132.1239°, which is 31 km SE of Saiki, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Japan had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Japan was the M9.1 Tohoku earthquake of March 11, 2011. Today's magnitude 4.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c1id). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 25, 2020). M4.5 Earthquake 31 km SE of Saiki, Japan — September 25, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c1id/