M4.9 Earthquake in the Volcano Islands, Japan region — October 7, 2020
2020-10-07 18:04:18 UTC (2020-10-07) · approx. 4:04 AM UTC+10 local
On October 7, 2020 at 18:04 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Volcano Islands, Japan region, at a depth of 33.3 km and coordinates 23.4204°, 142.9726°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — 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.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
142.9726°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake in the Volcano Islands, Japan region?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck in the Volcano Islands, Japan region on October 7, 2020 at 18:04 UTC had a depth of 33.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 23.4204°, 142.9726°, which is in the Volcano Islands, Japan region. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 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 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c6ik). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 7, 2020). M4.9 Earthquake in the Volcano Islands, Japan region — October 7, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c6ik/