M4.8 Earthquake near Ryukyu Islands, Japan — December 12, 2021
2021-12-12 22:30:44 UTC (2021-12-12) · approx. 6:30 AM UTC+8 local
On December 12, 2021 at 22:30 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Ryukyu Islands, Japan, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 24.1781°, 126.6475°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 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
126.6475°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Ryukyu Islands, Japan?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck near Ryukyu Islands, Japan on December 12, 2021 at 22:30 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 24.1781°, 126.6475°, which is near Ryukyu Islands, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 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 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gbqy). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 12, 2021). M4.8 Earthquake near Ryukyu Islands, Japan — December 12, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gbqy/