Strong M6.0 Earthquake struck on Sunday Evening in the North Pacific Ocean 180km from Sapporo (Japan).

Written by Earthquakelist.org on August 23rd, 2026. Last updated September 19th, 2026.

In the North Pacific Ocean 180 kilometer from Sapporo, Japan, a strong M6.0 earthquake occurred in the evening of Sunday August 23rd, 2026. Shaking may have been felt by a total of 5.4 million people.

Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the North Pacific Ocean, 31 kilometers (19 mi) off the coast of Japan, 180 kilometer south-east of Sapporo in Hokkaido. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 41 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Aug 23, 2026 22:44 (Tokyo Time) - Aug 23, 2026 13:44 Universal Time.
Location:	180 km SE of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Coordinates 41°50'58"N 142°48'7"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 6.0 Detected by 42 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.048 .
Depth:	41 km (25 mi) A quite shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	VI Strong 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 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 5.4 million people exposed to shaking

An estimated 5.4 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.

Moderate shaking and very light damage may have been experienced by an estimated 15,530 people. At V, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 3 million). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected.

People in 2 countries have been exposed to shaking. In Japan , around 5.4 million people, with impact levels up to V (moderate shaking, very light damage). In Russia, shaking was experienced too.

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
3,410	II	Very weak	None
3,033,000	III	Weak	Probably none
2,338,000	IV	Light	Likely none
15,530	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 . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Shizunai-furukawachō in Hokkaido, Japan. Shizunai-furukawachō is located 65 kilometer (40 mi) south-east of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in Shizunai-furukawachō is estimated to be around level IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (light shaking, likely no damage).

Major cities near this earthquake: Sapporo is located 180 km to the northwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Asahikawa is located 217 km to the north (intensity unknown, possibly low). Hakodate is located 171 km to the west and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely 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

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
65 km (40 mi) NW from epicenter	Shizunai-furukawachō Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
123 km (76 mi) N from epicenter	Obihiro Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
131 km (81 mi) N from epicenter	Otofuke Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
132 km (82 mi) NW from epicenter	Tomakomai Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
143 km (89 mi) NW from epicenter	Shiraoi Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
143 km (89 mi) NW from epicenter	Chitose Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
146 km (91 mi) SW from epicenter	Mutsu Aomori, Japan.	IV Light
158 km (98 mi) W from epicenter	Muroran Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
161 km (100 mi) NW from epicenter	Kitahiroshima Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
170 km (106 mi) N from epicenter	Shimo-furano Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
171 km (106 mi) W from epicenter	Hakodate Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
173 km (107 mi) NW from epicenter	Iwamizawa Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
174 km (108 mi) NW from epicenter	Date Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
174 km (108 mi) NW from epicenter	Ebetsu Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
175 km (109 mi) W from epicenter	Honchō Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
175 km (109 mi) SW from epicenter	Misawa Aomori, Japan.	III Weak
179 km (111 mi) W from epicenter	Kamiiso Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
180 km (112 mi) NE from epicenter	Kushiro Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
180 km (112 mi) NW from epicenter	Sapporo Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
181 km (112 mi) NW from epicenter	Bibai Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
185 km (115 mi) SW from epicenter	Hachinohe Aomori, Japan.	III Weak
185 km (115 mi) NW from epicenter	Tōbetsu Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
191 km (119 mi) N from epicenter	Ashibetsu Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
195 km (121 mi) NW from epicenter	Ishikari Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
196 km (122 mi) N from epicenter	Sunagawa Hokkaido, Japan.	IV Light
203 km (126 mi) N from epicenter	Takikawa Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
207 km (129 mi) SW from epicenter	Aomori Aomori, Japan.	III Weak
210 km (130 mi) NW from epicenter	Otaru Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
216 km (134 mi) N from epicenter	Fukagawa Hokkaido, Japan.
217 km (135 mi) N from epicenter	Asahikawa Hokkaido, Japan.
224 km (139 mi) NW from epicenter	Yoichi Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
224 km (139 mi) SW from epicenter	Namioka Aomori, Japan.	III Weak
229 km (142 mi) SW from epicenter	Kuroishi Aomori, Japan.	III Weak
229 km (142 mi) SW from epicenter	Goshogawara Aomori, Japan.
233 km (145 mi) SW from epicenter	Shimokizukuri Aomori, Japan.
235 km (146 mi) N from epicenter	Kitami Hokkaido, Japan.
240 km (149 mi) SW from epicenter	Hirosaki Aomori, Japan.	III Weak
244 km (152 mi) NE from epicenter	Motomachi Hokkaido, Japan.
250 km (155 mi) NW from epicenter	Rumoi Hokkaido, Japan.
251 km (156 mi) SW from epicenter	Hanawa Akita, Japan.	III Weak
255 km (158 mi) S from epicenter	Miyako Iwate, Japan.
257 km (160 mi) SW from epicenter	Ōdate Akita, Japan.	III Weak
259 km (161 mi) NE from epicenter	Nakashibetsu Hokkaido, Japan.	III Weak
269 km (167 mi) NE from epicenter	Abashiri Hokkaido, Japan.
277 km (172 mi) SW from epicenter	Morioka Iwate, Japan.
280 km (174 mi) NE from epicenter	Nemuro Hokkaido, Japan.
296 km (184 mi) SW from epicenter	Noshiro Akita, Japan.
297 km (185 mi) S from epicenter	Kamaishi Iwate, Japan.
309 km (192 mi) SW from epicenter	Hanamaki Iwate, Japan.
319 km (198 mi) SW from epicenter	Kitakami Iwate, Japan.
328 km (204 mi) SW from epicenter	Akita Akita, Japan.
397 km (247 mi) SW from epicenter	Furukawa Miyagi, Japan.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is VI.

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 12 people

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 12 people have reported shaking in 6 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:

Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan: 6 people.
Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan: 2 people.
Hachinohe, Aomori, Japan: 1 person.
Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan: 1 person.
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan: 1 person.
Iwanai, Hokkaido, Japan: 1 person.

Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 1 smaller aftershock occurred. Just 3 hrs after this main shock, an earthquake measuring MAG-4.5 was detected 36 km (22 mi) north of this earthquake.

Before this earthquake struck, 1 smaller foreshock occurred. Nearby this earthquake a foreshock struck 1 day earlier. It measured a magnitude of 4.3

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 4.3	1 day earlier Aug 22, 2026 11:35 (Tokyo Time)	66 km (41 mi) N from Main Shock.
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 6.0	Aug 23, 2026 22:44 (Tokyo Time)	-
Aftershock	M 4.5	3 hrs later Aug 24, 2026 01:36 (Tokyo Time)	36 km (22 mi) N 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 July 1st, 2026, when a 6 magnitude earthquake hit 185 km (115 mi) further south. An even stronger magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck on December 8th, 2025.

In total, 21 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 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 6 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 6. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 41 km (25 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 19/09/26 03:08 (). 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.