Shallow M5.5 Earthquake struck on Monday Evening in the Philippine Sea near Miyazaki (Japan).

Written by Earthquakelist.org on September 16th, 2024. Last updated October 9th, 2024.

In the Philippine Sea 44 kilometer from Miyazaki, Japan, a shallow and significant MAG-5.5 earthquake occurred in the evening of Monday September 16th, 2024. Roughly 8 million people may have felt this earthquake.

Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the Philippine Sea, 33 kilometers (21 mi) off the coast of Japan, 44 kilometer south-east of Miyazaki. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 18 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Sep 16, 2024 23:13 (Tokyo Time) - Sep 16, 2024 14:13 Universal Time.
Location:	44 km SE of Miyazaki, Japan. Coordinates 31°38'57"N 131°45'54"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.5 Detected by 10 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.098 .
Depth:	18 km (11 mi) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	V Moderate On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.

Roughly 8 million people exposed to shaking

An estimated 8 million have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

An estimated 504,700 people were exposed to level IV. At this level, light shaking and likely no damage can be expected. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 5.3 million). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Japan .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
2,664,000	II	Very weak	None
5,321,000	III	Weak	Probably none
504,700	IV	Light	Likely none
0	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Japan . Nichinan in Miyazaki, Japan is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 38 kilometer (24 mi) east of Nichinan. Nichinan experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly IV. That level implies light shaking and likely no damage.

Major cities near this earthquake: Miyazaki is located 44 km to the northwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Fukuoka is located 251 km to the north-northwest (intensity unknown, possibly low). Kagoshima is located 115 km to the west and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
38 km (24 mi) W from epicenter	Nichinan Miyazaki, Japan.	IV Light
44 km (27 mi) NW from epicenter	Miyazaki Miyazaki, Japan.	IV Light
53 km (33 mi) WSW from epicenter	Kushima Miyazaki, Japan.	IV Light
59 km (37 mi) NNW from epicenter	Takanabe Miyazaki, Japan.	IV Light
61 km (38 mi) NW from epicenter	Tsuma Miyazaki, Japan.	III Weak
64 km (40 mi) NNW from epicenter	Kawaminami Miyazaki, Japan.	III Weak
66 km (41 mi) WSW from epicenter	Shibushi Kagoshima, Japan.	IV Light
67 km (42 mi) W from epicenter	Miyakonojō Miyazaki, Japan.	III Weak
71 km (44 mi) W from epicenter	Sueyoshichō-ninokata Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
83 km (52 mi) WNW from epicenter	Kobayashi Miyazaki, Japan.	III Weak
92 km (57 mi) WSW from epicenter	Kanoya Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
92 km (57 mi) N from epicenter	Kadogawa Miyazaki, Japan.	III Weak
95 km (59 mi) W from epicenter	Kokubu-matsuki Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
98 km (61 mi) W from epicenter	Hamanoichi Kagoshima, Japan.	IV Light
103 km (64 mi) W from epicenter	Tarumizu Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
104 km (65 mi) W from epicenter	Kajiki Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
104 km (65 mi) N from epicenter	Nobeoka Miyazaki, Japan.	III Weak
115 km (71 mi) WSW from epicenter	Ibusuki Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
115 km (71 mi) WNW from epicenter	Hitoyoshi Kumamoto, Japan.	III Weak
115 km (71 mi) W from epicenter	Kagoshima Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
117 km (73 mi) WNW from epicenter	Ōkuchi-shinohara Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
129 km (80 mi) W from epicenter	Ijūin Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
140 km (87 mi) W from epicenter	Kaseda-shirakame Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
140 km (87 mi) W from epicenter	Satsumasendai Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
141 km (88 mi) WNW from epicenter	Izumi Kagoshima, Japan.	II Weak
142 km (88 mi) W from epicenter	Kushikino Kagoshima, Japan.	III Weak
143 km (89 mi) WNW from epicenter	Minamata Kumamoto, Japan.	II Weak
144 km (89 mi) WSW from epicenter	Makurazaki Kagoshima, Japan.	II Weak
145 km (90 mi) NW from epicenter	Honmachi Kumamoto, Japan.	III Weak
145 km (90 mi) N from epicenter	Saiki Ōita, Japan.	III Weak
155 km (96 mi) NW from epicenter	Uto Kumamoto, Japan.	III Weak
161 km (100 mi) NNW from epicenter	Ōzu Kumamoto, Japan.	III Weak
164 km (102 mi) NW from epicenter	Kumamoto Kumamoto, Japan.	III Weak
164 km (102 mi) N from epicenter	Usuki Ōita, Japan.	III Weak
176 km (109 mi) WNW from epicenter	Hondomachi-hondo Kumamoto, Japan.	III Weak
177 km (110 mi) N from epicenter	Ōita Ōita, Japan.	III Weak
178 km (111 mi) N from epicenter	Tsurusaki Ōita, Japan.	III Weak
182 km (113 mi) NW from epicenter	Shimabara Nagasaki, Japan.	III Weak
183 km (114 mi) NW from epicenter	Tamana Kumamoto, Japan.	III Weak
183 km (114 mi) N from epicenter	Beppu Ōita, Japan.	III Weak
190 km (118 mi) NNE from epicenter	Uwajima Ehime, Japan.	III Weak
197 km (122 mi) NW from epicenter	Ōmuta Fukuoka, Japan.	III Weak
215 km (134 mi) NW from epicenter	Nagasaki Nagasaki, Japan.	II Weak
219 km (136 mi) NNW from epicenter	Kurume Fukuoka, Japan.	III Weak
223 km (139 mi) NW from epicenter	Saga Saga, Japan.	III Weak
251 km (156 mi) NNW from epicenter	Fukuoka Fukuoka, Japan.
255 km (158 mi) NW from epicenter	Sasebo Nagasaki, Japan.	II Weak
259 km (161 mi) NNW from epicenter	Kitakyushu Fukuoka, Japan.
261 km (162 mi) NNE from epicenter	Matsuyama Ehime, Japan.
267 km (166 mi) NNW from epicenter	Shimonoseki Yamaguchi, Japan.
269 km (167 mi) NE from epicenter	Kochi Kōchi, Japan.
297 km (185 mi) NNE from epicenter	Kure Hirochima, Japan.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is IV.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 5 people

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 5 people have reported shaking in 5 places, all within Japan.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

Kagoshima, Kagoshima, Japan: 1 person.
Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan: 1 person.
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan: 1 person.
Saiki, Ōita, Japan: 1 person.
Ōsaka, Ōsaka, Japan: 1 person.

Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 1 smaller aftershock occurred. A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit 12 mins later 5 km (3 mi) south-southwest of this earthquake.

Before this earthquake struck, 1 smaller foreshock occurred. Roughly 1 day before this earthquake, a foreshock measuring MAG-4.5 was detected nearby this earthquake.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Foreshock	M 4.5	1 day earlier Sep 15, 2024 20:42 (Tokyo Time)	10 km (6 mi) S from Main Shock.
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.5	Sep 16, 2024 23:13 (Tokyo Time)	-
Aftershock	M 4.8	12 mins later Sep 16, 2024 23:25 (Tokyo Time)	5 km (3 mi) SSW from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since September 13th, 2024, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 221 km (137 mi) further south-southwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck on August 8th, 2024.

In total, 27 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.5 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 5 months.

Low tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.5. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 18 km (11 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 09/10/24 02:48 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.