M5.2 Earthquake 48 km E of Nishinoomote, Japan — July 16, 2026
2026-07-16 21:49:42 UTC (3 hours ago) · approx. 6:49 AM UTC+9 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations.
On July 16, 2026 at 21:49 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 48 km E of Nishinoomote, Japan, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 30.7625°, 131.5099°. This earthquake was detected by 78 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 416, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response 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
131.5099°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Nishinoomote, Japan?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 48 km E of Nishinoomote, Japan on July 16, 2026 at 21:49 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 30.7625°, 131.5099°, which is 48 km E of Nishinoomote, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 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 5.2 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000t15t). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 16, 2026). M5.2 Earthquake 48 km E of Nishinoomote, Japan — July 16, 2026. Retrieved July 16, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000t15t/