M4.6 Earthquake 43 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan — December 5, 2020
2020-12-05 04:57:44 UTC (2020-12-05) · approx. 2:57 PM UTC+10 local
On December 5, 2020 at 04:57 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 43 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan, at a depth of 62.1 km and coordinates 41.9935°, 142.6325°.
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
Earthquake Details
142.6325°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 43 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan on December 5, 2020 at 04:57 UTC had a depth of 62.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 41.9935°, 142.6325°, which is 43 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, 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.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cnb3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 5, 2020). M4.6 Earthquake 43 km SSE of Shizunai-furukawach?, Japan — December 5, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cnb3/