4.9

M4.9 Earthquake 35 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan — May 29, 2021

2021-05-29 10:10:41 UTC (2021-05-29) · approx. 8:10 PM UTC+10 local

MagnitudeM4.9(mb)
Time10:10 UTC≈ 8:10 PM UTC+10
Depth56.9 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates42.047°, 142.568°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 29, 2021 at 10:10 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 35 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan, at a depth of 56.9 km and coordinates 42.0473°, 142.5681°.

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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 42.05°, 142.57°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.9 mb
Depth
56.9 km
shallow crustal
Location
42.0473°N
142.5681°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000efsy
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
369
Azimuthal Gap
86.0°
Min Station Distance
0.440°
RMS Residual
0.53 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 19:01:17 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan?

The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 35 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan on May 29, 2021 at 10:10 UTC had a depth of 56.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 42.0473°, 142.5681°, which is 35 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan. 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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000efsy). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 29, 2021). M4.9 Earthquake 35 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan — May 29, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000efsy/