M5.1 Earthquake near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan — December 11, 2020
2020-12-11 09:48:40 UTC (2020-12-11) · approx. 5:48 PM UTC+8 local
On December 11, 2020 at 09:48 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan, at a depth of 19.5 km and coordinates 24.2994°, 125.2777°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 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
125.2777°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan on December 11, 2020 at 09:48 UTC had a depth of 19.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 24.2994°, 125.2777°, 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 5.1 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 5.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000cq77). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 11, 2020). M5.1 Earthquake near southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan — December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000cq77/