USGS · August 23, 2026
Magnitude 6.0 earthquake — 32 km SSW of Honchō, Japan
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake was recorded near 32 km SSW of Honchō, Japan on Aug 23, 2026, 10:44 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+9), at a depth of about 41.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 12 people · community intensity III (weak)Shaking VIPAGER GreenShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:16 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 6.0 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 32 km SSW of Honchō, Japan
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 23, 2026, 10:44 PM — UTC+9
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-23 13:44 UTC
- Depth
- 41.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 41.849, 142.802
- Felt reports
- Felt by 12 people · community intensity III (weak)
- Estimated shaking
- VI · Strong
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 558 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 136 seismic stations used · 101° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Estimated instrumental shaking VI (Strong): Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 86,133 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Honchō | 32.5 km NNE | 4,482 |
| Urakawa | 34.1 km N | 12,800 |
| Erimo | 34.1 km ENE | 4,374 |
| Hiroo | 63.2 km NE | 7,182 |
| Shizunai-furukawachō | 64.7 km NNW | 22,436 |
| Niikappu | 68.6 km NW | 5,696 |
| Taiki | 82.2 km NNE | 5,420 |
| Monbetsu-honchō | 92.4 km NW | 11,279 |
| Sarabetsu | 95.1 km NNE | 3,275 |
| Naka-satsunai | 98.4 km NNE | 3,884 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Japan.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
10 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 4.3 36 km S of Shizunai-furukawachō, Japan
M 4.5 18 km SW of Urakawa, Japan
M 4.6 35 km SSW of Shizunai-furukawachō, Japan
M 4.5 4 km NNW of Honchō, Japan
M 3.7 22 km E of Taiki, Japan
M 3.5 13 km NNE of Erimo, Japan
M 4.2 44 km SE of Honchō, Japan
M 3.1 HOKKAIDO, JAPAN REGION
M 4.8 81 km SW of Urakawa, Japan
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 32 km SSW of Honchō, Japan earthquake?
Magnitude 6.0 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 41.0 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Aug 23, 2026, 10:44 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+9). In universal time: 2026-08-23 13:44 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 12 people · community intensity III (weak). Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Honchō, 32.5 km NNE (population 4,482).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 8.2 (1968 Tokachi-Oki Earthquake, 1968), and 10 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.