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: 30.4 Km
Lat/Lon: 38.7452 , 142.149
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 15:31 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 Kesennuma, Sakihama, Nonomae, Kurosaki, Tomari, Ryori, Okubo, Nagasaki, Attari, Koishihama, and Ohashi.

Radius Population
100 km 870000 people
75 km 270000 people
50 km 29000 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
Kesennuma Miyagi Japan Village 59000 people 44 km
Sakihama Miyagi Japan Village - 44 km
Nonomae Iwate Japan Village - 44 km
Kurosaki Iwate Japan Village - 44 km
Tomari Iwate Japan Village - 45 km
Ryori Iwate Japan Village - 45 km
Okubo Iwate Japan Village - 46 km
Nagasaki Iwate Japan Village - 46 km
Attari Iwate Japan Village - 46 km
Koishihama Iwate Japan Village - 47 km
Kogakuchi Iwate Japan Village - 47 km
Shuku Miyagi Japan Village - 47 km
Sakihama Iwate Japan Village - 47 km
Matsuzaki Miyagi Japan Village - 48 km
Uranohama Miyagi Japan Village - 48 km
Tadagoe Miyagi Japan Village - 48 km
Hosaura Iwate Japan Village - 48 km
Shimo-Horei Iwate Japan Village - 49 km
Tsurugaura Miyagi Japan Village - 49 km
Shimo-Funato Iwate Japan Village - 49 km
Akuao Miyagi Japan Village - 50 km
Urahama Iwate Japan Village - 51 km
Oya Miyagi Japan Village - 51 km
Okkirai Iwate Japan Village - 51 km
Ofunato Iwate Japan Village 37000 people 51 km
Koharagi Miyagi Japan Village - 51 km
Nakase Miyagi Japan Village - 51 km
Wakinosawa Iwate Japan Village - 51 km
Tomarihama Miyagi Japan Village - 51 km
Natari Miyagi Japan Village - 52 km
Hama Miyagi Japan Village - 52 km
Hiraiso Miyagi Japan Village - 52 km
Imaizumi Iwate Japan Village - 53 km
Oishi Iwate Japan Village - 53 km
Minato Miyagi Japan Village - 53 km
Rikuzen-Takata Iwate Japan Village - 54 km
Tatamiishi Iwate Japan Village - 54 km
Sakari Iwate Japan Village - 54 km
Isatomae Miyagi Japan Village - 54 km
Kesaiso Miyagi Japan Village - 54 km
Motoyoshi Miyagi Japan Village - 56 km
Koizumi Miyagi Japan Village - 56 km
Kodaki Miyagi Japan Village - 56 km
Ozashi Miyagi Japan Village - 57 km
Kojirahama Iwate Japan Village - 57 km
Nakasato Iwate Japan Village - 57 km
Terahama Miyagi Japan Village - 57 km
Shirahama Iwate Japan Village - 57 km
Suwa Iwate Japan Village - 58 km
Aratohama Miyagi Japan Village - 58 km
Uchikoshi Iwate Japan Village - 58 km
Inohana Miyagi Japan Village - 58 km
Hongo Iwate Japan Village - 58 km
Tsubonosawa Iwate Japan Village - 58 km
Osu Miyagi Japan Village - 58 km
Aikawa Miyagi Japan Village - 59 km
Heida Iwate Japan Village - 60 km
Kumazawa Miyagi Japan Village - 60 km
Tsuya Miyagi Japan Village - 60 km
Ohama Miyagi Japan Village - 60 km
Funagoshi Miyagi Japan Village - 60 km
Kami-Heida Iwate Japan Village - 60 km
Haraigawa Miyagi Japan Village - 61 km
Shizugawa Miyagi Japan Village - 61 km
Kuwahama Miyagi Japan Village - 61 km
Tatsuhama Miyagi Japan Village - 61 km
Magome Miyagi Japan Village - 62 km
Shimo-Tsuyakawa Iwate Japan Village - 62 km
Tsukihama Miyagi Japan Village - 62 km
Kamaishi Iwate Japan City 42000 people 63 km
Izushima Miyagi Japan Village - 63 km
Terama Miyagi Japan Village - 64 km
Tsukuya Iwate Japan Village - 64 km
Ogatsu Miyagi Japan Village - 64 km
Kagamiishi Miyagi Japan Village - 64 km
Shimo-orikabe Iwate Japan Village - 64 km
Oritate Miyagi Japan Village - 65 km
Aramachi Miyagi Japan Village - 65 km
Shimozaike Iwate Japan Village - 65 km
Sekizawa Iwate Japan Village - 65 km
Setamai Iwate Japan Village - 65 km
Shizu Iwate Japan Village - 65 km
Kami-tsuyakawa Iwate Japan Village - 65 km
Otsunagi Miyagi Japan Village - 66 km
Ommaehama Miyagi Japan Village - 66 km
Nakasone Iwate Japan Village - 67 km
Hakozaki Iwate Japan Village - 67 km
Yoriiso Miyagi Japan Village - 67 km
Ryoishi Iwate Japan Village - 67 km
Onagawa Miyagi Japan Village - 68 km
Nagatsura Miyagi Japan Village - 68 km
Oku-Tsuchikura Iwate Japan Village - 68 km
Horowa Iwate Japan Village - 68 km
Unozumai Iwate Japan Village - 69 km
Hinata Iwate Japan Village - 69 km
Kawaguchi Iwate Japan Village - 69 km
Yokamachi Iwate Japan Village - 69 km
Nojiri Miyagi Japan Village - 70 km
Tomari Miyagi Japan Village - 70 km
Asatanuki Miyagi Japan Village - 70 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 89 km

Ports

Name LOCODE Country Distance
Kesennuma Ko Japan 50 km
Ofunato JPOFT Japan 51 km
Kamaishi JPKIS Japan 62 km
Onagawa JPONG Japan 70 km
Yamada Japan 81 km
Ishinomaki JPISM Japan 81 km

Dams

Reservoir Dam Name River Year Distance
Naganuma Naganuma Hazamagawa 2005 87 km
Taseko Tase Sarugaishigawa 1954 98 km

Nuclear plants

Name Country Reactors Distance
ONAGAWA JAPAN 3 68 km

More information

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