In the Philippine Sea 274 kilometer from Kagoshima, Japan, a shallow and significant M5.5 earthquake occurred deep in the night of Thursday February 5th, 2026. Shaking may have been felt by a total of 140 thousand people.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the Philippine Sea, 103 kilometers (64 mi) off the coast of Japan, 274 kilometer south of Kagoshima. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 21 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Feb 5, 2026 03:20 (Tokyo Time) - Feb 4, 2026 18:20 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 274 km south of Kagoshima, Japan. Coordinates 29°6'27"N 130°23'7"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.5 Detected by 20 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.069 . |
| Depth: | 21 km (13 mi) A very shallow depth. |
| Max. Intensity: | IV
Light 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 140 thousand people exposed to shaking
The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 140 thousand have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.
Light shaking and likely no damage may have been experienced by an estimated 3,810 people. At IV, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. The majority of people (roughly 120 thousand) live in an area exposed to level III, where weak shaking and probably no damage is expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Japan .
| People | MMI Level | Shaking | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | I |
Not noticable | None |
| 11,100 | II |
Very weak | None |
| 121,700 | III |
Weak | Probably none |
| 3,810 | 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 . Located 120 kilometer (75 mi) north-east of the epicenter of this earthquake, Naze (Kagoshima, Japan) is the nearest significant population center. The intensity of shaking and damage in Naze is estimated to be around level III on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (weak shaking, probably no damage).
An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below. If places don't have intensity data available, it likely means the experienced impact in those places was fairly small.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place | Intensity (MMI) |
|---|---|---|
| 120 km (75 mi) SW from epicenter |
Naze Kagoshima, Japan. |
III
Weak |
| 190 km (118 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Nishinoomote Kagoshima, Japan. |
III
Weak |
| 238 km (148 mi) N from epicenter |
Ibusuki Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 240 km (149 mi) N from epicenter |
Makurazaki Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 257 km (160 mi) N from epicenter |
Kanoya Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 257 km (160 mi) N from epicenter |
Kaseda-shirakame Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 266 km (165 mi) N from epicenter |
Tarumizu Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 272 km (169 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Shibushi Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 274 km (170 mi) N from epicenter |
Kagoshima Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 277 km (172 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Kushima Miyazaki, Japan. |
|
| 279 km (173 mi) N from epicenter |
Ijūin Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 289 km (180 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Sueyoshichō-ninokata Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 290 km (180 mi) N from epicenter |
Kushikino Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 292 km (181 mi) N from epicenter |
Hamanoichi Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 293 km (182 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Nichinan Miyazaki, Japan. |
|
| 293 km (182 mi) N from epicenter |
Kajiki Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 294 km (183 mi) N from epicenter |
Kokubu-matsuki Kagoshima, Japan. |
|
| 299 km (186 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Miyakonojō Miyazaki, Japan. |
Earthquake Intensity Map
The maximum intensity (MMI Scale) caused by this earthquake is IV. The map below shows in which areas this earthquake was the most and least impactful. It is based on data from the US Geographic Survey.
Risk of aftershocks?
We have not yet detected any foreshocks or aftershocks (MAG-2.5 or higher) within 100km (62 mi) of this earthquake.
Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.
The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk
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 December 30th, 2025, when a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit 237 km (147 mi) further southwest. An even stronger magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck on June 13th, 2020.
In total, 40 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 3 months.
Low tsunami risk
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 21 km (13 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 04/02/26 22:08 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000s6gs
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260204_0000246
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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