M 5.5 in Japan from 29 Dec 2012 14:59 UTC to 14:59
EQ parameters
Shakemap
Tsunami

Event summary

This earthquake is expected to have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Updated: this report is based on episode 1.

Earthquake Magnitude: 5.5M
Depth: 40.4 Km
Lat/Lon: 38.7616 , 142.141
Event Date: 29 Dec 2012 14:59 UTC
29 Dec 2012 23:59 Local
Exposed Population:
1060000 people within 100km
Source: NEIC usc000ehg2
Inserted at: 29 Dec 2012 15:20 UTC

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
  Earthquake GDACS score
NEIC 0.5 0.5
usc000ehg2 Scaled population (vector) n.a  
  C1 earthquake n.a  
  C2 earthquake n.a  
  Country Vulnerability n.a  
  INFORM_normalised n.a  
Maximum expected impact using different data sources.

Episode Timeline

IDAlertScoreDateMag, DepthMMI*Population**Tsunami risk***Delay (hh:mm)Source
121683 0.5 29 Dec 2012 14:59 5.5M, 40.4km N/A 1.1 million (in 100km) 00:21 NEIC
121684 0.5 29 Dec 2012 14:59 5.5M, 30.4km N/A 1.1 million (in 100km) 00:32 NEIC
121685 0.5 29 Dec 2012 14:59 5.5M, 33.6km N/A 1.1 million (in 100km) 01:10 NEIC
The episode that generated the alert; the next major evaluations beyond 12 hours will not trigger additional alerts.
The episode that has the last updated information.
* The max MMI detected for sources having shakemaps;
** The population detected in MMI>=7 for episode with shakemap or in a 100km radius;
*** The tsunami max height.

Exposed population

The earthquake happened in Japan , Region of Tohoku (population 9,984,608) . The nearest places are Nonomae, Kesennuma, Kurosaki, Sakihama, Tomari, Ryori, Okubo, Nagasaki, Attari, Koishihama, and Kitazawa.

Radius Population
100 km 910000 people
75 km 280000 people
50 km 43000 people
20 km no people
10 km no people
5 km no people
2 km no people

Affected Provinces

Region Province Country Population
Tohoku Japan 10 million people
Kanto Japan 38.5 million people
Hokkaido Japan 5.8 million people
Chubu Japan 5.2 million people

Affected populated places

Name Region Province Country City class Population Distance
Nonomae Iwate Japan Village - 42 km
Kesennuma Miyagi Japan Village 59000 people 43 km
Kurosaki Iwate Japan Village - 43 km
Sakihama Miyagi Japan Village - 43 km
Tomari Iwate Japan Village - 43 km
Ryori Iwate Japan Village - 43 km
Okubo Iwate Japan Village - 44 km
Nagasaki Iwate Japan Village - 44 km
Attari Iwate Japan Village - 45 km
Koishihama Iwate Japan Village - 45 km
Kogakuchi Iwate Japan Village - 45 km
Sakihama Iwate Japan Village - 45 km
Shuku Miyagi Japan Village - 46 km
Matsuzaki Miyagi Japan Village - 47 km
Hosaura Iwate Japan Village - 47 km
Uranohama Miyagi Japan Village - 47 km
Tadagoe Miyagi Japan Village - 47 km
Shimo-Horei Iwate Japan Village - 47 km
Shimo-Funato Iwate Japan Village - 48 km
Tsurugaura Miyagi Japan Village - 48 km
Urahama Iwate Japan Village - 49 km
Akuao Miyagi Japan Village - 49 km
Okkirai Iwate Japan Village - 49 km
Ofunato Iwate Japan Village 37000 people 49 km
Koharagi Miyagi Japan Village - 50 km
Oya Miyagi Japan Village - 50 km
Wakinosawa Iwate Japan Village - 50 km
Nakase Miyagi Japan Village - 50 km
Tomarihama Miyagi Japan Village - 51 km
Natari Miyagi Japan Village - 51 km
Oishi Iwate Japan Village - 51 km
Hama Miyagi Japan Village - 51 km
Imaizumi Iwate Japan Village - 51 km
Hiraiso Miyagi Japan Village - 52 km
Tatamiishi Iwate Japan Village - 52 km
Rikuzen-Takata Iwate Japan Village - 52 km
Sakari Iwate Japan Village - 52 km
Minato Miyagi Japan Village - 53 km
Kesaiso Miyagi Japan Village - 54 km
Isatomae Miyagi Japan Village - 54 km
Motoyoshi Miyagi Japan Village - 55 km
Kojirahama Iwate Japan Village - 55 km
Nakasato Iwate Japan Village - 55 km
Koizumi Miyagi Japan Village - 55 km
Shirahama Iwate Japan Village - 55 km
Kodaki Miyagi Japan Village - 56 km
Suwa Iwate Japan Village - 56 km
Hongo Iwate Japan Village - 56 km
Ozashi Miyagi Japan Village - 57 km
Terahama Miyagi Japan Village - 57 km
Tsubonosawa Iwate Japan Village - 57 km
Uchikoshi Iwate Japan Village - 57 km
Inohana Miyagi Japan Village - 58 km
Aratohama Miyagi Japan Village - 58 km
Heida Iwate Japan Village - 58 km
Aikawa Miyagi Japan Village - 58 km
Kami-Heida Iwate Japan Village - 58 km
Osu Miyagi Japan Village - 59 km
Tsuya Miyagi Japan Village - 59 km
Kumazawa Miyagi Japan Village - 60 km
Haraigawa Miyagi Japan Village - 60 km
Ohama Miyagi Japan Village - 60 km
Shizugawa Miyagi Japan Village - 60 km
Funagoshi Miyagi Japan Village - 61 km
Kamaishi Iwate Japan City 42000 people 61 km
Magome Miyagi Japan Village - 61 km
Shimo-Tsuyakawa Iwate Japan Village - 61 km
Kuwahama Miyagi Japan Village - 61 km
Tatsuhama Miyagi Japan Village - 61 km
Tsukihama Miyagi Japan Village - 62 km
Tsukuya Iwate Japan Village - 63 km
Shimo-orikabe Iwate Japan Village - 63 km
Sekizawa Iwate Japan Village - 63 km
Setamai Iwate Japan Village - 63 km
Izushima Miyagi Japan Village - 64 km
Kagamiishi Miyagi Japan Village - 64 km
Shizu Iwate Japan Village - 64 km
Terama Miyagi Japan Village - 64 km
Shimozaike Iwate Japan Village - 64 km
Ogatsu Miyagi Japan Village - 64 km
Kami-tsuyakawa Iwate Japan Village - 64 km
Oritate Miyagi Japan Village - 65 km
Aramachi Miyagi Japan Village - 65 km
Nakasone Iwate Japan Village - 65 km
Otsunagi Miyagi Japan Village - 65 km
Hakozaki Iwate Japan Village - 65 km
Ryoishi Iwate Japan Village - 65 km
Oku-Tsuchikura Iwate Japan Village - 66 km
Unozumai Iwate Japan Village - 67 km
Hinata Iwate Japan Village - 67 km
Ommaehama Miyagi Japan Village - 67 km
Horowa Iwate Japan Village - 67 km
Yokamachi Iwate Japan Village - 67 km
Kawaguchi Iwate Japan Village - 67 km
Onagawa Miyagi Japan Village - 68 km
Yoriiso Miyagi Japan Village - 68 km
Nagatsura Miyagi Japan Village - 68 km
Ohashi Iwate Japan Village - 68 km
Ohata Iwate Japan Village - 69 km
Kutsukake Iwate Japan Village - 69 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name IATA Code Elevation (m) Usage Runway type IFR Runway Length (ft) Distance
Matsushima 2 Civ. Paved Yes 8800 90 km

Ports

Name LOCODE Country Distance
Kesennuma Ko Japan 48 km
Ofunato JPOFT Japan 49 km
Kamaishi JPKIS Japan 60 km
Onagawa JPONG Japan 70 km
Yamada Japan 79 km
Ishinomaki JPISM Japan 82 km
Miyako JPMYK Japan 98 km

Dams

Reservoir Dam Name River Year Distance
Naganuma Naganuma Hazamagawa 2005 86 km
Taseko Tase Sarugaishigawa 1954 96 km

Nuclear plants

Name Country Reactors Distance
ONAGAWA JAPAN 3 69 km

More information

For a full list of available products related to this event, please refer to the GDACS Resources page.