M5.1 Earthquake 247 km SE of Shing?, Japan — November 18, 2020
2020-11-18 01:00:45 UTC (2020-11-18) · approx. 10:00 AM UTC+9 local
On November 18, 2020 at 01:00 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 deep-focus earthquake struck 247 km SE of Shing?, Japan, at a depth of 366.3 km and coordinates 32.1835°, 137.8951°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 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
137.8951°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Shing?, Japan?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 247 km SE of Shing?, Japan on November 18, 2020 at 01:00 UTC had a depth of 366.3 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 32.1835°, 137.8951°, which is 247 km SE of Shing?, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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 5.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000cpp2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, November 18, 2020). M5.1 Earthquake 247 km SE of Shing?, Japan — November 18, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000cpp2/