5.5

M5.5 Earthquake 4 km NW of Noda, JapanJune 16, 2026

2026-06-16 10:46:34 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 7:46 PM UTC+9 local

Felt by 83 people across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.7 (moderate).

MagnitudeM5.5(mb)
Time10:46 UTC7:46 PM UTC+9
Depth71.8 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates35.981°, 139.837°
Felt by83DYFI responses· max MMI 4.7
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· green PAGER
green Alertno significant casualties or damage expected

On June 16, 2026 at 10:46 UTC, a magnitude 5.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck 4 km NW of Noda, Japan, at a depth of 71.8 km and coordinates 35.9814°, 139.8371°. The earthquake was reported felt by 83 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.7 (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 91 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 507, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Misato (population 141,913).

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.8 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

Misatopop. 141,913
MMI 4.7 (moderate)
Yashiopop. 93,283
MMI 4.7 (moderate)
Sugitopop. 43,755
MMI 4.7 (moderate)
Minamishiropop. 34,012
MMI 4.7 (moderate)
Matsubushipop. 28,494
MMI 4.7 (moderate)
Sokapop. 251,390
MMI 4.6 (moderate)
Map showing earthquake epicenter at 35.98°, 139.84°

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.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M5.5 earthquake near 4 km NW of Noda, Japan

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 83 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M5.5 earthquake near 4 km NW of Noda, Japan

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)DescriptionPopulation exposed
MMI 3weak7,764,475
MMI 4light36,327,148
MMI 5moderate7,292,808

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.5 mb
Depth
71.8 km
intermediate depth
Location
35.9814°N
139.8371°E
Felt Reports
83
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
4.7
moderate
Community Intensity
5.0
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000std7
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
507
Stations Used
91
Azimuthal Gap
96.0°
Min Station Distance
1.435°
RMS Residual
0.94 sec
Last Updated
2026-06-16 12:38:40 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Noda, Japan?

The magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck 4 km NW of Noda, Japan on June 16, 2026 at 10:46 UTC had a depth of 71.8 km. It was felt by 83 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.7 (moderate). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 35.9814°, 139.8371°, which is 4 km NW of Noda, Japan. The nearest populated place is Misato (population 141,913). View all earthquakes in Japan.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.5 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 5.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

What should I do after an earthquake?

If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000std7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, June 16, 2026). M5.5 Earthquake 4 km NW of Noda, JapanJune 16, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000std7/