M5.1 Earthquake near Ryukyu Islands, Japan — December 29, 2022
2022-12-29 00:36:03 UTC (2022-12-29) · approx. 9:36 AM UTC+9 local
On December 29, 2022 at 00:36 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Ryukyu Islands, Japan, at a depth of 30.5 km and coordinates 29.2080°, 130.6175°. This earthquake was detected by 202 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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
130.6175°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Ryukyu Islands, Japan?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck near Ryukyu Islands, Japan on December 29, 2022 at 00:36 UTC had a depth of 30.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 29.2080°, 130.6175°, which is near 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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Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j0r5). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 29, 2022). M5.1 Earthquake near Ryukyu Islands, Japan — December 29, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j0r5/