M4.6 Earthquake 105 km SE of Shimoda, Japan — December 22, 2020
2020-12-22 22:45:01 UTC (2020-12-22) · approx. 7:45 AM UTC+9 local
On December 22, 2020 at 22:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 intermediate depth earthquake struck 105 km SE of Shimoda, Japan, at a depth of 118.1 km and coordinates 34.0018°, 139.7457°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 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
139.7457°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Shimoda, Japan?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 105 km SE of Shimoda, Japan on December 22, 2020 at 22:45 UTC had a depth of 118.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 34.0018°, 139.7457°, which is 105 km SE of Shimoda, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000d1zs). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 22, 2020). M4.6 Earthquake 105 km SE of Shimoda, Japan — December 22, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000d1zs/