M5.6 Depth: 35.0 km

M5.6 Earthquake near Off east coast of Honshu

UTC time: 2026-04-21 18:44:12 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On April 21, 2026 at 18:44 UTC, a magnitude M5.6 earthquake occurred near Off east coast of Honshu. With a focal depth of about 35 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by ISC and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Details

Magnitude
M5.6
Depth
35.0 km
UTC time
2026-04-21 18:44:12 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
isc
Coordinates
40.15600, 143.46000
Temperature
10.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 35 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 35 km
Shallow
35 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
Miyako141.4 kmSW51'150
Hachinohe170.5 kmW239'046
Sendai306.7 kmSW1'096'704

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Iwatesan
    Distance: 212 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'038 m ·Last eruption: 1919 ·Japan
  • Towada
    Distance: 222 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 1'011 m ·Last eruption: 915 ·Japan
  • Hachimantai
    Distance: 223 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'613 m ·Last eruption: -5350 ·Japan
  • Hakkodasan
    Distance: 226 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'585 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Japan
  • Akita-Komagatake
    Distance: 231 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 1'637 m ·Last eruption: 1971 ·Japan
  • Akita-Yakeyama
    Distance: 231 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'366 m ·Last eruption: 1997 ·Japan

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

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

First 6 hours8
First 24 hours21
First 72 hours32
Strongest subsequent eventM5.9

Comparison of seismic sources

2 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.4 to M5.6.

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

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
ISCM5.635.0 km0.0 km
NNSNM5.435.0 km0.0 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#85
Earlier events M≥4453
Earlier events M≥5269
Compared since2025-01-05

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

Strongest earlier events

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
658
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

Share