USGS · November 8, 2026

Magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Hamakita, Japan

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake was recorded near 10 km NW of Hamakita, Japan on Nov 8, 2026, 01:04 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+9), at a depth of about 38.1 km, according to USGS.

USGSFelt by 71 people · community intensity VI (strong)Shaking VIPAGER GreenShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist

Updated 2026-11-08 20:36 UTC

The full record

Magnitude
M 5.5 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
Location
10 km NW of Hamakita, Japan
Local time at the epicentre
Nov 8, 2026, 01:04 AM — UTC+9
Time (UTC)
2026-11-07 16:04 UTC
Depth
38.1 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
Coordinates
34.861, 137.691
Felt reports
Felt by 71 people · community intensity VI (strong)
Estimated shaking
VI · Strong
PAGER impact alert
Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
Tsunami
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Significance
505 / 1000 · notable event
Solution quality
129 seismic stations used · 49° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
Review status
Reviewed by a seismologist
Catalog
USGS

Open the official catalog record

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 VI (Strong): Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.

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 1,842,269 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 12,472,013 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.

PlaceDistancePopulation
Hamakita10.8 km SE86,502
Shinshiro18.0 km WNW44,355
Hamamatsu18.3 km SSE791,707
Mori22.3 km E18,306
Arai22.8 km SSW16,975
Hongō22.9 km N2,942
Iwata23.1 km SE166,672
Kosai23.6 km SW59,770
Fukuroi24.0 km ESE88,395
Toyokawa27.0 km W184,661

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

2 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.

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Frequently asked questions

How strong was the 10 km NW of Hamakita, Japan earthquake?

Magnitude 5.5 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 38.1 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?

Nov 8, 2026, 01:04 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+9). In universal time: 2026-11-07 16:04 UTC.

Was it felt?

Felt by 71 people · community intensity VI (strong). 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 Hamakita, 10.8 km SE (population 86,502).

Are earthquakes normal in this area?

Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.4 (118 km ESE of Shingū, Japan, 2004), and 2 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), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.