A significant Magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck under land 41 kilometer from Chiba in Japan in the evening of Thursday October 1st, 2026. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Japan, 41 kilometer (25 mi) east of Chiba. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 42 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Oct 1, 2026 21:27 (Tokyo Time) - Oct 1, 2026 12:27 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 41 km east of Chiba, Japan. Coordinates 35°42'9"N 140°33'3"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 21 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.068 . |
| Depth: | 42 km (26 mi) A quite shallow depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake in a coastal area, it appears to have occurred under land (7 km from the sea) with a magnitude that is usually not strong enough to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Japan . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Yōkaichiba in Chiba, Japan. Yōkaichiba is located 0 kilometer (0 mi) north of the epicenter.
Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Tokyo is located 78 km to the west. Yokohama is located 87 km to the west. Chiba is located 41 km to the west.
An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 0 km (0 mi) S from epicenter |
Yōkaichiba Chiba, Japan. |
| 9 km (6 mi) E from epicenter |
Asahi Chiba, Japan. |
| 17 km (11 mi) SW from epicenter |
Narutō Chiba, Japan. |
| 17 km (11 mi) N from epicenter |
Omigawa Chiba, Japan. |
| 21 km (13 mi) N from epicenter |
Sawara Chiba, Japan. |
| 22 km (14 mi) W from epicenter |
Yachimata Chiba, Japan. |
| 22 km (14 mi) N from epicenter |
Katori-shi Chiba, Japan. |
| 23 km (14 mi) NW from epicenter |
Narita Chiba, Japan. |
| 24 km (15 mi) SW from epicenter |
Tōgane Chiba, Japan. |
| 26 km (16 mi) N from epicenter |
Itako Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 26 km (16 mi) W from epicenter |
Shisui Chiba, Japan. |
| 26 km (16 mi) E from epicenter |
Hasaki Chiba, Japan. |
| 29 km (18 mi) W from epicenter |
Sakura Chiba, Japan. |
| 30 km (19 mi) N from epicenter |
Kashima-shi Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 30 km (19 mi) SW from epicenter |
Ōami Chiba, Japan. |
| 35 km (22 mi) W from epicenter |
Yotsukaidō Chiba, Japan. |
| 35 km (22 mi) NW from epicenter |
Inashiki Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 38 km (24 mi) SW from epicenter |
Mobara Chiba, Japan. |
| 40 km (25 mi) NW from epicenter |
Ryūgasaki Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 41 km (25 mi) W from epicenter |
Chiba Chiba, Japan. |
| 45 km (28 mi) W from epicenter |
Shiroi Chiba, Japan. |
| 47 km (29 mi) SW from epicenter |
Ichihara Chiba, Japan. |
| 48 km (30 mi) NW from epicenter |
Toride Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 48 km (30 mi) NW from epicenter |
Ami Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 48 km (30 mi) NW from epicenter |
Ushiku Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 51 km (32 mi) W from epicenter |
Honchō Chiba, Japan. |
| 52 km (32 mi) W from epicenter |
Abiko Chiba, Japan. |
| 55 km (34 mi) W from epicenter |
Kashiwa Chiba, Japan. |
| 59 km (37 mi) W from epicenter |
Matsudo Chiba, Japan. |
| 60 km (37 mi) W from epicenter |
Urayasu Tokyo, Japan. |
| 61 km (38 mi) W from epicenter |
Nagareyama Chiba, Japan. |
| 66 km (41 mi) SW from epicenter |
Kisarazu Chiba, Japan. |
| 67 km (42 mi) NW from epicenter |
Noda Chiba, Japan. |
| 69 km (43 mi) NW from epicenter |
Tsukuba Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 69 km (43 mi) W from epicenter |
Sōka Saitama, Japan. |
| 72 km (45 mi) W from epicenter |
Koshigaya Saitama, Japan. |
| 73 km (45 mi) N from epicenter |
Mito Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 76 km (47 mi) N from epicenter |
Katsuta Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 77 km (48 mi) W from epicenter |
Kawaguchi Saitama, Japan. |
| 77 km (48 mi) N from epicenter |
Hitachi-Naka Ibaraki, Japan. |
| 78 km (48 mi) W from epicenter |
Tokyo Tokyo, Japan. |
| 78 km (48 mi) W from epicenter |
Kawasaki Kanagawa, Japan. |
| 79 km (49 mi) NW from epicenter |
Kasukabe Saitama, Japan. |
| 84 km (52 mi) W from epicenter |
Saitama Saitama, Japan. |
| 87 km (54 mi) W from epicenter |
Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan. |
| 90 km (56 mi) W from epicenter |
Ageoshimo Saitama, Japan. |
| 90 km (56 mi) W from epicenter |
Kamirenjaku Tokyo, Japan. |
| 91 km (57 mi) W from epicenter |
Chōfu Tokyo, Japan. |
| 91 km (57 mi) W from epicenter |
Nishi-Tokyo-shi Tokyo, Japan. |
| 93 km (58 mi) SW from epicenter |
Yokosuka Kanagawa, Japan. |
| 95 km (59 mi) NW from epicenter |
Oyama Tochigi, Japan. |
| 98 km (61 mi) W from epicenter |
Tokorozawa Saitama, Japan. |
| 99 km (62 mi) W from epicenter |
Kawagoe Saitama, Japan. |
| 153 km (95 mi) NW from epicenter |
Maebashi Gunma, Japan. |
| 153 km (95 mi) N from epicenter |
Iwaki Fukushima, Japan. |
| 179 km (111 mi) W from epicenter |
Fuji Shizuoka, Japan. |
| 179 km (111 mi) W from epicenter |
Kōfu Yamanashi, Japan. |
| 237 km (147 mi) NW from epicenter |
Nagano Nagano, Japan. |
| 277 km (172 mi) W from epicenter |
Nakatsugawa Gifu, Japan. |
| 279 km (173 mi) NW from epicenter |
Niigata Niigata, Japan. |
| 282 km (175 mi) N from epicenter |
Yamagata Yamagata, Japan. |
| 286 km (178 mi) N from epicenter |
Sendai Miyagi, Japan. |
| 291 km (181 mi) W from epicenter |
Shinshiro Aichi, Japan. |
Shaking reported by 22 people
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 22 people have reported shaking in 10 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:
- Tokyo, Tokio, Japan: 9 people.
- Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan: 3 people.
- Narita, Chiba, Japan: 2 people.
- Urayasu, Chiba, Japan: 2 people.
- Tomisato, Chiba, Japan: 1 person.
- Naka, Ibaraki, Japan: 1 person.
- Chiba, Chiba, Japan: 1 person.
- Komae, Tokio, Japan: 1 person.
- Warabi, Saitama, Japan: 1 person.
- Higashimurayama, Tokio, Japan: 1 person.
3 Aftershocks detected
Since this main shock, 3 smaller aftershocks were detected. A 3.9 magnitude earthquake hit 9 hrs later 73 km (46 mi) northwest of this earthquake.
In the days before this main shock, 3 smaller foreshocks were detected. Roughly 3 days before this earthquake, a foreshock measuring MAG-4.9 was detected nearby this earthquake.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 4.9 |
3 days earlier Sep 29, 2026 04:45 (Tokyo Time) | 81 km (51 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.0 |
2 days earlier Sep 29, 2026 22:48 (Tokyo Time) | 5 km (2.8 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.4 |
15 hrs earlier Oct 1, 2026 06:16 (Tokyo Time) | 31 km (19 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 5.3 |
Oct 1, 2026 21:27 (Tokyo Time) | - |
| Aftershock | M 3.6 |
4 mins later Oct 1, 2026 21:31 (Tokyo Time) | 14 km (8 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
24 mins later Oct 1, 2026 21:51 (Tokyo Time) | 17 km (11 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.9 |
9 hrs later Oct 2, 2026 06:01 (Tokyo Time) | 73 km (46 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.
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 August 22nd, 2026, when a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit 43 km (27 mi) further northwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on March 16th, 2022.
In total, 79 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 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 2 months.
Tsunami very unlikely
While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always 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 on land near a coastal area (7 km from the sea). | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 42 km (26 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 01/10/26 22:18 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000tytg
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20261001_0000192
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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