M5.0 Earthquake near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan — August 15, 2023
2023-08-15 17:07:31 UTC (2023-08-15) · approx. 1:07 AM UTC+8 local
On August 15, 2023 at 17:07 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan, at a depth of 39.0 km and coordinates 24.8191°, 125.4234°. This earthquake was detected by 100 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 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
125.4234°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan on August 15, 2023 at 17:07 UTC had a depth of 39.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 24.8191°, 125.4234°, which is near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000l05a). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, August 15, 2023). M5.0 Earthquake near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan — August 15, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000l05a/