M5.3 Earthquake 44 km ESE of Tomioka, Japan — March 16, 2024
2024-03-16 21:17:04 UTC (2024-03-16) · approx. 6:17 AM UTC+9 local
Felt by 37 people across nearby locations.
On March 16, 2024 at 21:17 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 44 km ESE of Tomioka, Japan, at a depth of 48.5 km and coordinates 37.1332°, 141.4549°. This earthquake was detected by 150 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 445, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 37 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
141.4549°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Tomioka, Japan?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 44 km ESE of Tomioka, Japan on March 16, 2024 at 21:17 UTC had a depth of 48.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 37.1332°, 141.4549°, which is 44 km ESE of Tomioka, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 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 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000mjbp). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, March 16, 2024). M5.3 Earthquake 44 km ESE of Tomioka, Japan — March 16, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000mjbp/