M4.8 Earthquake 36 km ENE of Nichinan, Japan — April 2, 2022
2022-04-02 11:16:45 UTC (2022-04-02) · approx. 8:16 PM UTC+9 local
On April 2, 2022 at 11:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 36 km ENE of Nichinan, Japan, at a depth of 43.9 km and coordinates 31.6944°, 131.7378°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 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
131.7378°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Nichinan, Japan?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 36 km ENE of Nichinan, Japan on April 2, 2022 at 11:16 UTC had a depth of 43.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 31.6944°, 131.7378°, which is 36 km ENE of Nichinan, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 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 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000gz7b). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, April 2, 2022). M4.8 Earthquake 36 km ENE of Nichinan, Japan — April 2, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000gz7b/