A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.5 struck off the coast of Sanriku in northern Japan, around 122 km east of Yamada on Thursday. The quake occurred at a depth of about 9.5 to 10 km, according to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), indicating a relatively shallow tremor that could be felt across parts of north-eastern Japan.
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The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported a slightly lower magnitude of 6.2, stating that the earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu at a depth of 10 km, as per a Reuters report. Meanwhile, the JMA said the tremor occurred at 23:18 local time and registered a maximum seismic intensity of four on Japan’s scale, suggesting moderate shaking in affected areas but limited likelihood of major damage.
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Other agencies also provided varying assessments of the quake. India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS) recorded the event as a magnitude 6.3 earthquake at 7:48 PM IST, placing its epicentre in the North Pacific Ocean at a depth of 60 km, approximately 517 km northeast of Tokyo.
Despite the differences in magnitude and depth estimates, all agencies confirmed the quake originated offshore, reducing the immediate risk to densely populated areas.
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There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage following the earthquake, and no tsunami warning had been issued at the time of reporting. Authorities in Japan are closely monitoring the situation for aftershocks.
Japan is highly prone to earthquakes, with frequent tremors recorded across the country due to its position along major tectonic fault lines. Earlier this year, a quake measuring around 5.8 struck Shimane prefecture, registering strong shaking on Japan’s seismic intensity scale but causing no tsunami warning. Such events are common, with the country experiencing nearly 1,500 tremors annually, most of them minor but occasionally strong enough to disrupt daily life.
