M6.7 Earthquake near Ōfunato, Japan — 15 May 2026
A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.7 was recorded near Ōfunato, Japan on , with an epicentre 49 km east-southeast of Ōfunato, at a focal depth of 43.6 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-05-15 11:22:01
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 6.7 (strong)
Focal depth: 43.6 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 38.9127, 142.2500
Location: 49 km ESE of Ōfunato, Japan
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake radiates roughly 169,203 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 734, which meets 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 38.9127, 142.2500 — 49 km east-southeast of Ōfunato. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 5.1 earthquake 21 km south of here on 03 July 2026.
Why the 44 km depth matters
At 44 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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. 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 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
2 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.7.
293 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.4 event near Miyako on 20 April 2026. This M6.7 event released about 11 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 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M5.1 earthquake near Ōfunato, Japan — (21 km S)
- M4.5 earthquake near Ōfunato, Japan — (24 km W)
- M4.4 earthquake near Ōfunato, Japan — (36 km SW)
- M4.3 earthquake near Yamada, Japan — (62 km NE)
- M4.1 earthquake near Yamada, Japan — (95 km ENE)
- M4.4 earthquake near Onagawa Chō, Japan — (95 km SSW)
- M4.4 earthquake near Yamada, Japan — (114 km ENE)
- M4.5 earthquake near Miyako, Japan — (127 km NE)
- M4.5 earthquake near Miyako, Japan — (130 km NNE)
- M4.6 earthquake near Miyako, Japan — (131 km NE)
Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide
- M6.8 earthquake near Uto, Japan —
- M6.7 earthquake near southeast of the Loyalty Islands —
- M6.5 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M6.4 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M6.4 earthquake near South Sandwich Islands region —
- M6.7 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
- M6.5 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
- M6.9 earthquake near Kuji, Japan —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 6.7 earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground. A magnitude 6.7 earthquake radiates roughly 169,203 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Ōfunato?
At 44 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 M6.7 earthquake near Ōfunato 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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. 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 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?
2 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.7.
How often do earthquakes happen near Ōfunato?
293 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.4 event near Miyako on 20 April 2026. This M6.7 event released about 11 times less energy than that event.