Earthquakes medium

M 5.0 Earthquake 5 km NE of Mitsukaidō, Japan

Source: USGS · Japan

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 5 km NE of Mitsukaidō. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M5.0 is classified "Moderate". Among the 1,740 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M5.0 event ranks stronger than 55% of them (rank #612 by magnitude).

This earthquake report, quickly

Magnitude
M 5.0
USGS class
Moderate
Location
5 km NE of Mitsukaidō
Archive rank
#612 of 1,740
Source
USGS
Published
September 16, 2026
MODERATE

Stronger than 55% of the 1,740 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive, weaker than 611 others.

Record status: a snapshot from USGS, not a final record. Check USGS's own event page for aftershocks and any later revision to the magnitude shown here.

What Happened

A magnitude 5.0 mb earthquake occurred 5 km NE of Mitsukaidō, Japan, on 2026-09-16 at 12:27:38 UTC. The event was recorded at a depth of 77.348 km.

Location Details

The earthquake was located at coordinates 36.0556°N, 140.0207°E. This depth classifies it as a deep earthquake (greater than 70 km).

Impact Assessment

The earthquake was felt by 2 people, with a maximum reported intensity of 3.4 on the Community Decimal Intensity scale. No tsunami was generated (tsunami advisory status: 0). No alert level was issued.

What You Should Know

Earthquakes of this magnitude are classified as moderate. Aftershocks remain possible in the region.

Source

USGS Event Page

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

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Similar body length

Nearest notices by article body length (759 characters here).

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Similar severity timing

Same severity (medium) notices issued closest in time to September 16, 2026.

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Questions & Answers

Questions readers often have about this USGS earthquake report.

What was the magnitude of this event? ▾
A magnitude 5.0 mb earthquake struck 5 km northeast of Mitsukaidō, Japan, at a depth of 77 km.
What does an M5.0 "Moderate" reading actually indicate? ▾
The USGS classifies M5.0 as "Moderate" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are often felt near the epicenter and can cause minor damage to vulnerable structures, though widespread damage is uncommon.
Where does this event rank against Areazine's other recorded earthquakes? ▾
This is the #612 strongest of the 1,740 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 55% of them and weaker than 611 others.
Was Mitsukaidō likely to feel this earthquake? ▾
This event was centered 5 km NE of Mitsukaidō. Shaking intensity falls off sharply with distance from the epicenter and depends on depth and local geology, so check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data rather than assuming from magnitude and distance alone.

Primary source data

EPA Outdoor Air Quality Data

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AirNow (EPA / NOAA)

Real-time AQI for every monitored U.S. location

National Weather Service

Active watches, warnings, and advisories, NOAA

CDC Air Quality & Health

Health-impact reference behind every AQI category