M5.1 Earthquake near Hiroo, Japan — 26 May 2025
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.1 was recorded near Hiroo, Japan on , with an epicentre 10 km west of Hiroo, at a focal depth of 60.5 km.
Time (UTC): 2025-05-26 08:47:44
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 5.1 (moderate)
Focal depth: 60.5 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 42.2865, 143.1690
Location: 10 km W of Hiroo, Japan
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area.
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake radiates roughly 674 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 401, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 42.2865, 143.1690 — 10 km west of Hiroo. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 6.1 earthquake 42 km north-northwest of here on 26 April 2026.
Why the 60 km depth matters
At 60 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M5.1 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
10 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 6.1.
161 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.6 event near Misawa on 08 December 2025. This M5.1 event released about 5,623 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the May 2025 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M6.1 earthquake near Sarabetsu, Japan — (42 km NNW)
- M4.5 earthquake near Urakawa, Japan — (50 km SW)
- M4.2 earthquake near Urakawa, Japan — (59 km SW)
- M4.7 earthquake near Shizunai-furukawachō, Japan — (63 km WNW)
- M4.3 earthquake near Urakawa, Japan — (70 km WSW)
- M4.6 earthquake near Hiroo, Japan — (89 km SSE)
- M4.5 earthquake near Kushiro, Japan — (99 km E)
- M4.6 earthquake near Hiroo, Japan — (100 km ESE)
- M4.5 earthquake near Ashoro, Japan — (101 km NNE)
- M4.9 earthquake near Honchō, Japan — (108 km SSW)
Other magnitude 5 earthquakes worldwide
- M5.2 earthquake near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M5.2 earthquake near Tsunō, Japan —
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
- M4.9 earthquake near Matsubase, Japan —
- M5.1 earthquake near Tristan da Cunha region —
- M5.1 earthquake near Tristan da Cunha region —
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
- M4.8 earthquake near Te Anau, New Zealand —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 5.1 earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area. A magnitude 5.1 earthquake radiates roughly 674 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Hiroo?
At 60 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M5.1 earthquake near Hiroo felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M5.1 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
10 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 6.1.
How often do earthquakes happen near Hiroo?
161 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.6 event near Misawa on 08 December 2025. This M5.1 event released about 5,623 times less energy than that event.