M4.6 Earthquake 107 km ENE of Miyako, Japan — November 5, 2023
2023-11-05 05:16:42 UTC (2023-11-05) · approx. 3:16 PM UTC+10 local
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On November 5, 2023 at 05:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 107 km ENE of Miyako, Japan, at a depth of 36.5 km and coordinates 39.8885°, 143.1551°.0 This earthquake was detected by 42 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — 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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from submitted 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
Earthquake Details
143.1551°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Miyako, Japan?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 107 km ENE of Miyako, Japan on November 5, 2023 at 05:16 UTC had a depth of 36.5 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 39.8885°, 143.1551°, which is 107 km ENE of Miyako, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000l8yj). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, November 5, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake 107 km ENE of Miyako, Japan — November 5, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000l8yj/