4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 37 km ENE of Nishinoomote, JapanJune 30, 2022

2022-06-30 05:14:56 UTC (2022-06-30) · approx. 2:14 PM UTC+9 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time05:14 UTC2:14 PM UTC+9
Depth29.2 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates30.856°, 131.363°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On June 30, 2022 at 05:14 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 37 km ENE of Nishinoomote, Japan, at a depth of 29.2 km and coordinates 30.8563°, 131.3634°. This earthquake was detected by 56 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

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.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 30.86°, 131.36°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
29.2 km
shallow crustal
Location
30.8563°N
131.3634°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000hyq7
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
56
Azimuthal Gap
100.0°
Min Station Distance
1.016°
RMS Residual
0.29 sec
Last Updated
2022-09-03 21:03:19 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Nishinoomote, Japan?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 37 km ENE of Nishinoomote, Japan on June 30, 2022 at 05:14 UTC had a depth of 29.2 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 30.8563°, 131.3634°, which is 37 km ENE of Nishinoomote, 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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000hyq7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, June 30, 2022). M4.6 Earthquake 37 km ENE of Nishinoomote, JapanJune 30, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000hyq7/