M4.2 Earthquake 6 km SW of Kuroiso, Japan — May 20, 2021
2021-05-20 22:16:09 UTC (2021-05-20) · approx. 7:16 AM UTC+9 local
On May 20, 2021 at 22:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 6 km SW of Kuroiso, Japan, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 36.9228°, 139.9959°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Earthquake Details
139.9959°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Kuroiso, Japan?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 6 km SW of Kuroiso, Japan on May 20, 2021 at 22:16 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000eeuj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 20, 2021). M4.2 Earthquake 6 km SW of Kuroiso, Japan — May 20, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000eeuj/