M5.0 Earthquake 69 km SE of ?funato, Japan — September 12, 2020
2020-09-12 02:50:43 UTC (2020-09-12) · approx. 11:50 AM UTC+9 local
On September 12, 2020 at 02:50 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 69 km SE of ?funato, Japan, at a depth of 38.8 km and coordinates 38.6814°, 142.3417°.
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
142.3417°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near ?funato, Japan?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 69 km SE of ?funato, Japan on September 12, 2020 at 02:50 UTC had a depth of 38.8 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 38.6814°, 142.3417°, which is 69 km SE of ?funato, 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: us7000bm9p). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 12, 2020). M5.0 Earthquake 69 km SE of ?funato, Japan — September 12, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000bm9p/