Shallow M5.7 Earthquake hit in the North Pacific Ocean 170km from Chiba (Japan) on Monday Afternoon.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on November 9th, 2026.

In the early afternoon of Monday November 9th, 2026, a shallow and significant M5.7 earthquake hit in the North Pacific Ocean 170 kilometer from Chiba, Japan. Around 410 thousand people have been exposed to shaking.

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Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the North Pacific Ocean, 124 kilometers (77 mi) off the coast of Japan, 170 kilometer north-east of Chiba. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 24 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Nov 9, 2026 13:52 (Tokyo Time) - Nov 9, 2026 04:52 Universal Time.
Location:	170 km NE of Chiba, Japan. Coordinates 36°14'50"N 141°49'48"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.7 Detected by 24 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.063 .
Depth:	24 km (15 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 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 410 thousand people exposed to shaking

This earthquake may have been felt by around 410 thousand people. That is the expected population size of the area exposed to a level of shaking of II or higher on the Modified Mercalli scale according to the USGS.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is IV, which corresponds with light shaking and likely no damage. Roughly 176,400 people are expected to be exposed to this level. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 240 thousand). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Japan .

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Japan . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Hasaki in Chiba, Japan. Hasaki is located 106 kilometer (66 mi) north-east of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in Hasaki is estimated to be around level IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (light shaking, likely no damage).

Major cities near this earthquake: Tokyo is located 202 km to the west (intensity unknown, possibly low). Yokohama is located 216 km to the southwest (intensity unknown, possibly low). Kawasaki is located 207 km to the southwest (intensity unknown, possibly low).

A complete list of nearby places is included below. Estimated intensity data (MMI) sourced from a shake-map published by the US Geographic Survey is shown where available (cities without data probably experienced little impact).

Overview of nearby places

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 IV.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 1 smaller aftershock occurred. A 4.6 magnitude earthquake hit 9 mins later 44 km (27 mi) northwest of this earthquake.

In the days before this main shock, 2 smaller foreshocks were detected. A 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit 2 days earlier nearby.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

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.

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

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 November 6th, 2026, when a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit 145 km (90 mi) further south. An even stronger magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on March 16th, 2022.

In total, 26 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.7 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

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

Sources

Last updated 09/11/26 15:28 (). 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.

1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000tx1f
2. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20261109_0000071
3. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
4. Google Maps: Static API
5. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

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