M4.5 earthquake — 27 km E of Ōarai, Japan
An magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred 27 km E of Ōarai, Japan on Sep 18, 2026 at 21:15 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 45 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M4.5 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 45.4 km |
| Coordinates | 36.306, 140.889 |
| Time | Sep 18, 21:15 UTC |
| Location | 27 km E of Ōarai, Japan |
| USGS event ID | us7000tifm |
What this magnitude typically means
Light earthquakes are felt by most people nearby but rarely cause damage. Distance, depth, and soil type determine whether a quake feels sharp or barely noticeable. Tremor does not compute a single local shaking figure here, because how strong a quake feels at any address depends on distance, depth and local geology — open the interactive globe to explore the ShakeMap and estimated intensity.
Nearby recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Distance | Time (UTC) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.3 | 14 km | Oct 7, 22:14 UTC | 15 km ENE of Ōarai, Japan |
| M4.5 | 80 km | Oct 7, 00:22 UTC | 37 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan |
| M4.9 | 83 km | Oct 7, 19:13 UTC | 3 km WSW of Shibayama, Japan |
| M4.6 | 141 km | Oct 7, 19:36 UTC | 9 km NNE of Midori, Japan |
Earthquake activity in this area
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.