3.9

M3.9 Earthquake 9 km NW of Yokohama, JapanAugust 27, 2024

2024-08-27 17:05:09 UTC (2024-08-27) · approx. 2:05 AM UTC+9 local

Felt by 39 people across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM3.9(mwr)
Time17:05 UTC2:05 AM UTC+9
Depth35.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates35.498°, 139.590°
Felt by39DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On August 27, 2024 at 17:05 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 9 km NW of Yokohama, Japan, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 35.4984°, 139.5903°. This earthquake was detected by 33 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 253, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 296 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 35.50°, 139.59°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 39 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M3.9 earthquake near 9 km NW of Yokohama, Japan

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.9 mwr
Depth
35.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
35.4984°N
139.5903°E
Felt Reports
39
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
4.8
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000nn2w
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
253
Stations Used
33
Azimuthal Gap
109.0°
Min Station Distance
1.529°
RMS Residual
1.31 sec
Last Updated
2025-09-13 19:33:00 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Yokohama, Japan?

The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 9 km NW of Yokohama, Japan on August 27, 2024 at 17:05 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 35.4984°, 139.5903°, which is 9 km NW of Yokohama, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.9 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 3.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000nn2w). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, August 27, 2024). M3.9 Earthquake 9 km NW of Yokohama, JapanAugust 27, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000nn2w/