M6.1 Earthquake 12 km SE of Narutō, Japan — May 26, 2023
2023-05-26 10:03:24 UTC (2023-05-26) · approx. 7:03 PM UTC+9 local
Felt by 190 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.9 (moderate).
On May 26, 2023 at 10:03 UTC, a magnitude 6.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 12 km SE of Narutō, Japan, at a depth of 42.0 km and coordinates 35.5294°, 140.5281°. The earthquake was reported felt by 190 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.9 (moderate). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 259 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 679, making it a moderate-impact event. The nearest populated place is Togane (population 66,332).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 21 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 9.7 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
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 4.9 (moderate), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Mild shaking, similar to a passing truck. Hanging objects swing. Glasses and dishes may rattle. Not commonly felt outdoors.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 190 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 17,943,082 |
| MMI 4 | light | 27,396,486 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 230,840 |
Earthquake Details
140.5281°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.1 earthquake near Narutō, Japan?
The magnitude 6.1 earthquake that struck 12 km SE of Narutō, Japan on May 26, 2023 at 10:03 UTC had a depth of 42.0 km. It was felt by 190 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.9 (moderate). For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 35.5294°, 140.5281°, which is 12 km SE of Narutō, Japan. The nearest populated place is Togane (population 66,332). View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.1 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months 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 6.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000k46f). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, May 26, 2023). M6.1 Earthquake 12 km SE of Narutō, Japan — May 26, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000k46f/