Overall Green Earthquake in Japan on 20 Apr 2026 08:32 UTC

GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission and disaster managers worldwide to improve awareness, information exchange and coordination in the first phase after major sudden-onset disasters.

M 5.6 in Japan on 20 Apr 2026 08:32 UTC

Hazard models

Rapid Impact

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.

Earthquake Magnitude:	5.6M
Depth:	24.5 Km
Lat/Lon:	39.6393 , 143.2591
Event Date:	20 Apr 2026 08:32 UTC 20 Apr 2026 18:32 Local
Exposed Population:	2.2 million in MMI III
Source:	NEIC us6000srih
Inserted at:	20 Apr 2026 08:48 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity of the alert score:	1.1 (Japan)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS score click here.

	Earthquake (Shakemap)		GDACS score
NEIC	0		0
us6000srih	Scaled population (raster)	0
	C1 shakemap	0
	C2 shakemap	0
	Country Vulnerability	0
	INFORM_normalised	0
	Score no CC	0

Maximum expected impact using different data sources.

ShakeMap is a product of the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program in conjunction with the regional seismic networks. ShakeMaps provide near-real-time maps of ground motion and shaking intensity following significant earthquakes.

Episode Timeline

ID	Level	Score	Date	Mag, Depth	MMI*	Population**	Tsunami risk***	Delay (hh:mm)	Source
1701071		0	20 Apr 2026 08:32	5.6M, 24.5km	3.49	N/A (in MMI>=VII)		00:15	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 ,of Tohoku (population 9,984,608) . The alertlevel for this event is GREEN

Intensity	Population
	no people

Shakemaps Timeline

Shake id #	episodeid	Lat/Lon	Magnitude	Depth	Max MMI	Date shake (UTC)	Delay (hh:mm)
1	1701071	143.259/39.639	5.6	24.5	3.474	20 Apr 2026 08:55	00:22	(new episode)
2	1701071	143.259/39.639	5.6	24.5	3.474	20 Apr 2026 10:53	02:20	(upd of #1)
3	1701071	143.259/39.639	5.6	24.5	3.49	21 Apr 2026 14:01	1d 05:28	(upd of #2)

Affected Provinces

Intensity	Region Province	Country	Population
	Tohoku	Japan	310000 people
	Tohoku	Japan	<1000 people

Critical infrastructure

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

Ports

Name	LOCODE	Country	Distance
Miyako	JPMYK	Japan	110 km
Yamada		Japan	113 km
Kamaishi	JPKIS	Japan	125 km
Ofunato	JPOFT	Japan	147 km
Shiogama	JPSGM	Japan	242 km

Dams

Reservoir	Dam Name	River	Year	Distance
Setsukinaidamuko	Setsukinai	Setsukinaigawa	1986	160 km
Sotoyama	Sotoyama	Sotoyamagawa	1943	170 km
Taseko	Tase	Sarugaishigawa	1954	170 km
Tsunatori	Tsunatori	Nagatsugawa	1982	176 km

Nuclear Facilities

Site Name	Type	Name	Country	Distance
Site-Onagawa	Nuclear Power Reactor	Onagawa-2	Japan	205 km
Site-Onagawa	Nuclear Power Reactor	Onagawa-3	Japan	205 km
Site-Onagawa	Nuclear Power Plant	Onagawa-1	Japan	205 km
Site-Higashi Dori	Nuclear Power Reactor	Higashi Dori-1	Japan	234 km

More information

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

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