4.7

M4.7 Earthquake 101 km NE of Hasaki, Japan — May 15, 2021

2021-05-15 11:03:51 UTC (2021-05-15) · approx. 8:03 PM UTC+9 local

MagnitudeM4.7(mb)
Time11:03 UTC≈ 8:03 PM UTC+9
Depth20.7 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates36.252°, 141.762°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 15, 2021 at 11:03 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 101 km NE of Hasaki, Japan, at a depth of 20.7 km and coordinates 36.2522°, 141.7617°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 169 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.1 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 36.25°, 141.76°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.7 mb
Depth
20.7 km
shallow crustal
Location
36.2522°N
141.7617°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000e3da
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
340
Azimuthal Gap
96.0°
Min Station Distance
2.880°
RMS Residual
0.46 sec
Last Updated
2021-07-24 21:07:09 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Hasaki, Japan?

The magnitude 4.7 earthquake that struck 101 km NE of Hasaki, Japan on May 15, 2021 at 11:03 UTC had a depth of 20.7 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.2522°, 141.7617°, which is 101 km NE of Hasaki, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.7 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 4.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000e3da). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 15, 2021). M4.7 Earthquake 101 km NE of Hasaki, Japan — May 15, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000e3da/