USGS · September 2, 2026
Magnitude 4.6 earthquake — 78 km ENE of Mutsu, Japan
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake was recorded near 78 km ENE of Mutsu, Japan on Sep 2, 2026, 04:21 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+9), at a depth of about 74.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:15 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.6 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 78 km ENE of Mutsu, Japan
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 2, 2026, 04:21 AM — UTC+9
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-01 19:21 UTC
- Depth
- 74.0 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- 41.619, 142.050
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 326 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 85 seismic stations used · 114° 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
At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
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 140,462 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Sarugamori | 65.6 km WSW | 5,955 |
| Mutsu | 78.5 km WSW | 56,244 |
| Shizunai-furukawachō | 83.7 km NNE | 22,436 |
| Niikappu | 84.2 km NNE | 5,696 |
| Urakawa | 85.1 km NE | 12,800 |
| Yokohama | 89.5 km SW | 4,412 |
| Furukamaya | 91.3 km W | 1,636 |
| Honchō | 91.5 km NE | 4,482 |
| Obuchi | 92.0 km SW | 10,367 |
| Ōma | 95.3 km W | 5,155 |
Earthquake history in this area
11 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Japan.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
11 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
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 6.0 32 km SSW of Honchō, JapanFelt · 12
M 3.3 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
M 3.5 13 km NNE of Erimo, Japan
M 3.8 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, 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 78 km ENE of Mutsu, Japan earthquake?
Magnitude 4.6 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 74.0 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Exactly when did it happen?
Sep 2, 2026, 04:21 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+9). In universal time: 2026-09-01 19:21 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Small earthquakes usually pass unnoticed except very close to the epicentre.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Sarugamori, 65.6 km WSW (population 5,955).
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 11 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.