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M5.9 Depth: 42.0 km

M5.9 Earthquake near he po ting, lu er dao xian (Japan)

UTC time: 2026-05-20 02:46:24 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.9 earthquake was recorded near he po ting, lu er dao xian (Japan) on May 20, 2026 at 02:46 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 42 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks. Japan: 10 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M5.7.

Details

Magnitude
M5.9
Depth
42.0 km
UTC time
2026-05-20 02:46:24 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Japan
State
lu er dao xian
City
he po ting
County
da dao jun
Source
emsc
Coordinates
27.39200, 128.73360
Temperature
24.5°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 42 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 42 km
Shallow
42 km
42 km — close to the regional average (35.3 km)
Regional average: 35.3 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Tsuha103.4 kmSW17'969
Uruma142.4 kmSW125'303
Kagoshima496.4 kmN595'049

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Io-Torishima
    Distance: 74 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 212 m ·Last eruption: 1968 ·Japan
  • Yokoatejima
    Distance: 158 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 495 m ·Last eruption: 1835 ·Japan
  • Akusekijima
    Distance: 245 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 555 m ·Japan
  • Suwanosejima
    Distance: 267 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 796 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Japan
  • Nakanoshima
    Distance: 295 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 979 m ·Last eruption: 1914 ·Japan
  • Kuchinoshima
    Distance: 309 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 628 m ·Last eruption: 1190 ·Japan

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours2
First 24 hours2
First 72 hours2
Strongest subsequent eventM5.7
M5.62026-05-20 02:46:26 UTC5.8 kmhe po ting M5.72026-05-20 02:46:29 UTC31.0 kmzhi ming ting M3.92026-05-31 01:58:30 UTC23.1 kmRYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN M3.22026-06-04 02:36:30 UTC17.8 kmhe po ting M3.02026-06-04 03:34:30 UTC20.3 kmRYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN M3.02026-06-15 19:11:30 UTC96.5 kmSetouchi

Comparison of seismic sources

2 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.8 to M5.9.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
NNSNM5.842.0 km0.0 km
EMSCM5.942.0 km0.0 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#3
Earlier events M≥443
Earlier events M≥513
Compared since2025-01-07

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M6.02026-05-20 02:46:21 UTC30.4 kmzhi ming ting M6.02026-05-20 02:46:21 UTC34.0 kmRyukyu Islands, Japan M5.62026-05-20 02:46:20 UTC32.6 kmRyukyu Islands, Japan M5.52025-12-30 08:12:27 UTC18.3 kmRyukyu Islands, Japan [Sea: Japan] M5.52025-12-30 08:12:25 UTC17.2 km20 km NNE of Wadomari, Japan

Historic earthquake map · Japan

Open history map
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · Japan

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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