Light magnitude 3.9 earthquake at 53 km depth27 Mar 02:23 UTC: First to report: NIED after 6 minutes.I didn't feel itI felt this quakeEarthquake detailsDate & timeMar 27, 2026 02:16:39 UTC - Local time at epicenterFriday, Mar 27, 2026, at 11:16 am (GMT +9)Statusconfirmed (manually revised)Magnitude3.9Depth53 kmEpicenter latitude / longitude39.263°N / 142.119°EKamaishi Shi, Iwate, JapanSeismic antipode39.263°S / 37.881°WShaking intensityII Very weak shakingFelt0 reportsPrimary data sourceNIED (National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience)Nearest volcanoIwate (116 km / 72 mi)Weather at epicenter at time of quakeOvercast Clouds 6.6°C (44 F), humidity: 81%, wind: 3 m/s (6 kts) from SEstimated seismic energy released4.5 x 1010 joules (12.4 megawatt hours, equivalent to 10.7 tons of TNT) | equivalent to ONE quake of magnitude 3.9 | about seismic energy17 minutes agoMar 27, 2026 02:16 GMT / Mar 27, 2026 11:16 am (GMT +9)Lat / Lng: 39.263 / 142.119: Japan: E Off Iwate PrefSource: NIEDDetail info | You felt it? - Report it!';storedMarkers.push(['quake-22846979',39.26300,142.11900,'17 minutes ago: Mag. 3.9, Japan: E Off Iwate Pref',html,'quakes-5-24.png',18,18,9,9,124]); function mkRep(id,notFelt){var nFelt=notFelt||false;var src="https://www.volcanoesandearthquakes.com/app/earthquake-report.php?quakeId="+id;if(nFelt==true){src+="¬Felt=true";}window.open(src,"","status=0,toolbar=0,location=0,directories=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,scrollbars=1,height=400,width=350");} function locationHashChanged(e){-1!=e.oldURL.indexOf("#popupMap")&&closePopup()} window.onhashchange = locationHashChanged; function comment(e){var t=e.parentNode,a=(t.dataset.id,document.getElementById("commentForm"));"none"==a.style.display?(t.appendChild(a),a.style.display="block"):a.style.display="none"}function sendComment(e){var t=e.parentNode,a=t.parentNode.dataset.id,n=document.getElementById("commentContent"),p=n.value.trim();if(p){var o="id="+a+"&quakeId="+thisQuakeId;o+="&comment="+decodeURIComponent(p),mkRequest("//reports.volcanodiscovery.com/app/eqReportComment.php","post",o,function(e){e.responseText;alert("Thank you for submitting your comment!"),t.style.display="none",n.value=""})}}function flagReport(e){var t=e.parentNode.dataset.id;if(confirm("Report this as inappropriate?")){var a="id="+t+"&quakeId="+thisQuakeId+"&flagAsInappropriate=1";mkRequest("//reports.volcanodiscovery.com/app/eqReportComment.php","post",a,function(t){var a=t.responseText;alert(a),e.style.display="none"})}}function likeReport(e){var t="id="+e.parentNode.dataset.id+"&quakeId="+thisQuakeId+"&like=1";mkRequest("//reports.volcanodiscovery.com/app/eqReportComment.php","post",t,function(t){t.responseText;e.style.opacity=.5})}]]>[smaller] [bigger]Most recent quakes Top 20 past 24 hrs Quakes in JapanNearby placesThe closest larger town where the quake might have been felt is Kesennuma, a town with 61,000 inhabitants in Japan, in 62 km (38 mi) distance southwest of the epicenter. People likely experienced very weak shaking there. Many smaller towns and villages are located closer to the epicenter and might have experienced stronger shaking. In the capital of Japan, Tokyo, 451 km (281 mi) away from the epicenter, the earthquake could not be felt.The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking.DistancePlaceMax. shaking intensity(*)RegionCountry22 km (13 mi)W of epicenterKamaishi(pop: 43,100)II: Very weakIwateJapan22 km (14 mi)NW of epicenterOtsuchi(pop: 11,600)II: Very weakKamihei-gun, IwateJapan27 km (17 mi)NW of epicenterYamada(pop: 15,200)II: Very weakShimohei-gun, IwateJapan41 km (25 mi)SW of epicenterOfunato(pop: 35,500)II: Very weakOfunato-shi, IwateJapan45 km (28 mi)N of epicenterMiyako(pop: 51,200)II: Very weakIwateJapan48 km (30 mi)SW of epicenterRikuzen-Takata(pop: 18,300)II: Very weakIwateJapan48 km (30 mi)W of epicenterSetamai(pop: 5,050)II: Very weakKesen-gun, IwateJapan51 km (32 mi)W of epicenterTono(pop: 26,100)II: Very weakTono Shi, IwateJapan62 km (38 mi)SW of epicenterKesennuma(pop: 61,100)II: Very weakMiyagiJapan71 km (44 mi)NW of epicenterIwaizumi(pop: 8,990)II: Very weakShimohei-gun, IwateJapan83 km (52 mi)W of epicenterOshu(pop: 112,900)II: Very weakOshu Shi, IwateJapan86 km (54 mi)W of epicenterMizusawa(pop: 61,300)II: Very weakOshu Shi, IwateJapan86 km (54 mi)W of epicenterKitakami(pop: 93,000)II: Very weakIwateJapan87 km (54 mi)W of epicenterKanegasaki(pop: 15,600)II: Very weakIsawa-gun, IwateJapan87 km (54 mi)W of epicenterHanamaki(pop: 94,700)II: Very weakIwateJapan87 km (54 mi)SW of epicenterMinamisanriku(pop: 12,200)II: Very weakMotoyoshi Gun, MiyagiJapan88 km (55 mi)W of epicenterHizume(pop: 32,100)II: Very weakShiwa-gun, IwateJapan92 km (57 mi)NW of epicenterYahaba(pop: 28,100)II: Very weakShiwa-gun, IwateJapan93 km (58 mi)SW of epicenterIchinoseki(pop: 114,500)II: Very weakIwateJapan96 km (60 mi)NW of epicenterMorioka(pop: 290,700)II: Very weakIwateJapan97 km (60 mi)N of epicenterNoda(pop: 4,200)II: Very weakKunohe-gun, IwateJapan104 km (64 mi)SW of epicenterTome(pop: 77,900)II: Very weakMiyagiJapan104 km (64 mi)NW of epicenterTakizawa(pop: 55,600)II: Very weakIwateJapan107 km (67 mi)N of epicenterKuji(pop: 34,400)II: Very weakIwateJapan109 km (67 mi)NW of epicenterShizukuishi(pop: 16,300)II: Very weakIwate-gun, IwateJapan110 km (69 mi)NW of epicenterHachimantai(pop: 25,100)II: Very weakIwateJapan112 km (70 mi)SW of epicenterKurihara(pop: 66,600)II: Very weakMiyagiJapan118 km (73 mi)SW of epicenterIshinomaki(pop: 140,200)II: Very weakMiyagiJapan124 km (77 mi)SW of epicenterOsaki(pop: 128,800)II: Very weakOsaki Shi, MiyagiJapan125 km (78 mi)SW of epicenterHigashimatsushima(pop: 39,100)II: Very weakMiyagiJapan127 km (79 mi)SW of epicenterFurukawa(pop: 76,300)II: Very weakOsaki Shi, MiyagiJapan133 km (83 mi)NW of epicenterNinohe(pop: 25,500)II: Very weakIwateJapan135 km (84 mi)W of epicenterYokote(pop: 85,600)II: Very weakAkitaJapan141 km (88 mi)SW of epicenterShiogama(pop: 52,700)II: Very weakMiyagiJapan145 km (90 mi)SW of epicenterTagajo-shi(pop: 62,800)II: Very weakTagajo Shi, MiyagiJapan147 km (92 mi)N of epicenterHachinohe(pop: 239,000)II: Very weakAomoriJapan155 km (96 mi)SW of epicenterSendai(pop: 1,096,700)I: Not feltMiyagiJapan162 km (101 mi)SW of epicenterNatori-shi(pop: 78,700)I: Not feltNatori Shi, MiyagiJapan451 km (281 mi)SW of epicenterTokyo(pop: 9,733,300): Not feltTokyoJapanNotes:(*) Shaking intensity according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) and estimated using seismic models.User-reports for this quakeThere are no user reports for this quake yet.If you felt it, be the first to report it!Get the Android appCompare Quake DataData for the same earthquake as reported by different agenciesThe more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.MagDepthTime GMT2026-03-27EpicenterAgency3.953 km33 mi02:16:39E OFF IWATE PREFNIED (National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience)Earthquake statisticsAverage number of earthquakesBased on data from the past 26 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 2,900 quakes on average per year in the area near the epicenter of this quake (within 100 km/61 mi):Mag. 7 or higher: 0.04 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 25 years)Mag. 6 or higher: 0.55 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 1.8 years)Mag. 5 or higher: 8.4 quakes per yearMag. 4 or higher: 53 quakes per year (or 4.4 quakes per month)Mag. 3 or higher: 171 quakes per year (or 14.2 quakes per month)Mag. 2 or higher: 507 quakes per year (or 42 quakes per month)Mag. 1 or higher: 1,800 quakes per year (or 5 quakes per day)The area where this quake occurred has a very high level of seismic activity. It has had at least 5 quakes above magnitude 7 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 25 to 30 years.Number of quakes per yearPrevious quakes in the same area of this earthquakeThe earthquake occurred 12 hours after a magnitude 4.6 earthquake had hit on Friday, Mar 27, 2026, at 12:37 am (GMT +10 local time) in 96 km (60 mi) distance to the east:Mag. 4.6 earthquake North Pacific Ocean - Iwate, Japan - The largest quake near the epicenter of this quake during the 10 years before was an event of magnitude 7.6. It had occurred 16 weeks earlier, on Monday, Dec 8, 2025, at 11:15 pm (GMT +9 local time) in Aomori, Japan:Mag. 7.6 earthquake Aomori - Miyagi, Japan - Dec 8, 2025 - The strongest-ever (since 1900) recorded quake in this area measured magnitude 9.1. It had occurred 15 years ago earlier, on Friday, Mar 11, 2011, at 02:46 pm (GMT +9 local time) in North Pacific Ocean, Japan:Mag. 9.1 earthquake North Pacific Ocean - Miyagi, Japan - Mar 11, 2011 - Below is a list and map of larger or recent quakes that had occurred near the epicenter before this earthquake (within up to 100 km/61 mi distance, up to 300 km/183 mi for very large quakes above mag. 7). Filter and sort the list by magnitude or time.Max results102050100AllMagnitudeAll2+3+4+5+6+7+8+Time before48 hours1 week30 days1 year5 years30 yearsAny ageDate and TimeMagDepthDistanceLocationDetailsMapMar 27, 12:37 am (GMT +10)4.610 km96 km (60 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 117 km east of Kamaishi, Iwate, Japan I FELT ITInfoMar 26, 07:54 pm (GMT +9)3.050 km39 km (24 mi) to the N 7.3 km southeast of Miyako, Iwate, Japan I FELT ITInfoMar 26, 05:51 pm (GMT +9)4.645 km96 km (60 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 109 km east of Miyako, Iwate, Japan I FELT ITInfoMar 24, 09:51 am (GMT +9)3.262 km90 km (56 mi) to the NNorth Pacific Ocean, 22 km southeast of Kuji, Iwate, Japan I FELT ITInfoMar 19, 07:14 pm (GMT +9)3.345 km76 km (47 mi) to the NNorth Pacific Ocean, 52 km northeast of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoMar 8, 11:17 pm (GMT +10)5.716 km98 km (61 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, Miyagi, 181 km east of Morioka, Iwate, Japan 5 reportsInfoMar 8, 11:08 pm (GMT +10)5.435 km95 km (59 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 115 km east of Miyako, Iwate, Japan 5 reportsInfoMar 7, 05:35 am (GMT +9)4.150 km57 km (35 mi) to the SE Near East Coast OF Honshu, JapanInfoDec 8, 2025 11:15 pm (GMT +9)7.645 km194 km (120 mi) to the NAomori, 324 km north of Sendai, Miyagi, Japan 486 reportsInfoMar 16, 2022 11:36 pm (GMT +9)7.341 km179 km (111 mi) to the S 57 km ENE of Namie, Japan 101 reportsInfoFeb 13, 2021 11:07 pm (GMT +9)7.056 km177 km (110 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 89 km southeast of Sendai, Miyagi, Japan 472 reportsInfoApr 20, 2020 05:39 am (GMT +9)6.353 km42 km (26 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 29 km southeast of Ofunato, Iwate, Japan 12 reportsInfoNov 12, 2016 06:43 am (GMT +9)6.364 km101 km (63 mi) to the SWNorth Pacific Ocean, 289 km east of Sadoga Shima Island, Niigata, Japan 6 reportsInfoMay 13, 2015 06:12 am (GMT +9)6.746 km43 km (27 mi) to the S Near East Coast of Honshu, Japan 31 reportsInfoFeb 17, 2015 08:06 am (GMT +9)6.621 km96 km (60 mi) to the NE Off East Coast of Honshu, Japan 2 reportsInfoDec 7, 2012 05:18 pm (GMT +9)7.331 km221 km (137 mi) to the SENorth Pacific Ocean, 451 km northeast of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan 3 reportsInfoJul 23, 2011 01:34 pm (GMT +9)6.341 km48 km (30 mi) to the SWNorth Pacific Ocean, 42 km south of Kamaishi, Iwate, JapanInfoJul 10, 2011 09:57 am (GMT +9)7.023 km169 km (105 mi) to the SENorth Pacific Ocean, 211 km east of Sendai, Miyagi, JapanInfoJun 23, 2011 06:50 am (GMT +9)6.733 km77 km (48 mi) to the NNorth Pacific Ocean, 41 km northeast of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoApr 7, 2011 11:32 pm (GMT +9)7.142 km119 km (74 mi) to the S 30 km southeast of Ishinomaki, Miyagi, JapanInfoMar 11, 2011 07:46 pm (Universal Time)6.533 km52 km (32 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 93 km east of Ichinoseki, Iwate, JapanInfoMar 11, 2011 08:36 pm (GMT +9)6.626 km30 km (18 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 51 km east of Kamaishi, Iwate, JapanInfoMar 11, 2011 04:29 pm (GMT +9)6.345 km33 km (20 mi) to the SE 49 km ESE of Kamaishi, JapanInfoMar 11, 2011 03:25 pm (GMT +9)7.719 km253 km (157 mi) to the SENorth Pacific Ocean, 290 km east of Ishinomaki, Miyagi, JapanInfoMar 11, 2011 03:06 pm (GMT +9)6.343 km32 km (20 mi) to the SENorth Pacific Ocean, 47 km southeast of Kamaishi, Iwate, JapanInfoMar 11, 2011 02:46 pm (GMT +9)9.129 km110 km (68 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 95 km east of Ishinomaki, Miyagi, JapanInfoMar 9, 2011 11:45 am (GMT +9)7.332 km111 km (69 mi) to the SENorth Pacific Ocean, Iwate, 173 km east of Sendai, Miyagi, JapanInfoJul 5, 2010 06:55 am (GMT +9)6.327 km53 km (33 mi) to the NENorth Pacific Ocean, 37 km east of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoJul 24, 2008 12:26 am (GMT +9)6.8108 km82 km (51 mi) to the NW eastern Honshu, JapanInfoJul 19, 2008 11:39 am (GMT +9)7.022 km190 km (118 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 142 km southeast of Sendai, Miyagi, JapanInfoNov 15, 2005 06:38 am (GMT +9)7.011 km273 km (170 mi) to the SE 293 km ESE of Kamaishi, JapanInfoAug 16, 2005 11:46 am (GMT +9)7.236 km110 km (68 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 66 km east of Ishinomaki, Miyagi, JapanInfoOct 31, 2003 10:06 am (GMT +9)7.010 km167 km (104 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 162 km east of Sendai, Miyagi, JapanInfoMay 26, 2003 06:24 pm (GMT +9)7.068 km66 km (41 mi) to the SWMiyagi, 38 km east of Ichinoseki, Iwate, JapanInfoNov 3, 2002 12:37 pm (GMT +9)6.439 km44 km (27 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 44 km south of Kamaishi, Iwate, JapanInfoDec 2, 2001 10:01 pm (GMT +9)6.5124 km90 km (56 mi) to the W eastern Honshu, JapanInfoJan 7, 1995 07:37 am (GMT +9)7.027 km109 km (68 mi) to the NNorth Pacific Ocean, Iwate, 64 km southeast of Hachinohe, Aomori, JapanInfoDec 28, 1994 09:19 pm (GMT +9)7.827 km179 km (111 mi) to the NENorth Pacific Ocean, 214 km northeast of Morioka, Iwate, JapanInfoJul 18, 1992 07:20 pm (GMT +9)6.427 km80 km (50 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 96 km east of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoNov 2, 1989 03:25 am (GMT +9)7.429 km84 km (52 mi) to the NENorth Pacific Ocean, 73 km east of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoJan 9, 1987 03:14 pm (GMT +9)6.668 km80 km (50 mi) to the NW 36 km northwest of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoJan 19, 1981 03:17 am (GMT +9)6.933 km88 km (55 mi) to the SE 101 km ESE of ?funato, JapanInfoJun 12, 1978 05:14 pm (GMT +9)7.744 km120 km (74 mi) to the S 68 km ESE of Ishinomaki, JapanInfoAug 2, 1971 04:24 pm (GMT +9)7.155 km263 km (164 mi) to the NE Hokkaido, Japan regionInfoSep 14, 1970 06:44 pm (GMT +9)6.349 km60 km (37 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, Iwate, 96 km northeast of Ishinomaki, Miyagi, JapanInfoJul 5, 1968 08:28 pm (GMT +9)6.347 km87 km (54 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 75 km east of Ishinomaki, Miyagi, JapanInfoJun 12, 1968 10:41 pm (GMT +9)7.032 km86 km (53 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 98 km east of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoMay 16, 1968 07:39 pm (GMT +9)7.925 km258 km (160 mi) to the NNorth Pacific Ocean, Hokkaido, 196 km northeast of Aomori, Aomori, JapanInfoMay 16, 1968 09:49 am (GMT +9)8.230 km210 km (130 mi) to the NENorth Pacific Ocean, Hokkaido, 227 km east of Aomori, Aomori, JapanInfoMar 21, 1960 02:07 am (GMT +9)7.915 km117 km (72 mi) to the NENorth Pacific Ocean, 179 km east of Morioka, Iwate, JapanInfoOct 27, 1952 12:17 pm (GMT +9)6.423 km94 km (58 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 177 km east of Morioka, Iwate, JapanInfoOct 27, 1952 12:53 am (GMT +9)6.428 km89 km (55 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 100 km east of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoNov 19, 1940 03:01 pm (Universal Time)6.644 km37 km (23 mi) to the SE 51 km SE of Kamaishi, JapanInfoNov 6, 1938 08:53 am (Universal Time)7.730 km210 km (130 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, Fukushima, 160 km southeast of Sendai, Miyagi, JapanInfoNov 5, 1938 08:43 am (Universal Time)7.835 km255 km (158 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 105 km east of Iwaki, Fukushima, JapanInfoJan 7, 1937 06:12 am (Universal Time)6.435 km68 km (42 mi) to the SNorth Pacific Ocean, 81 km east of Ishinomaki, Miyagi, JapanInfoMar 2, 1933 05:31 pm (Universal Time)8.415 km213 km (132 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 225 km east of Sangan-jima Island, Iwate, JapanInfoMar 9, 1931 03:49 am (Universal Time)7.935 km150 km (93 mi) to the NNorth Pacific Ocean, Iwate, 79 km east of Hachinohe, Aomori, JapanInfoMay 27, 1928 09:50 am (Universal Time)7.335 km91 km (56 mi) to the NENorth Pacific Ocean, 79 km east of Miyako, Iwate, JapanInfoNov 18, 1915 04:02 am (Universal Time)6.735 km45 km (28 mi) to the SENorth Pacific Ocean, 62 km southeast of Kamaishi, Iwate, JapanInfoNov 1, 1915 09:00 am (Universal Time)6.835 km61 km (38 mi) to the SENorth Pacific Ocean, 80 km southeast of Kamaishi, Iwate, JapanInfoAug 9, 1901 06:23 pm (GMT +9)7.90 km141 km (88 mi) to the NNorth Pacific Ocean, Iwate, 85 km east of Hachinohe, Aomori, JapanInfoJun 15, 1901 09:34 am (Universal Time)7.035 km81 km (51 mi) to the ENorth Pacific Ocean, 177 km southeast of Morioka, Iwate, JapanInfoMap of earlier quakes in the area of this quakeMax results102050100AllMagnitudeAll2+3+4+5+6+7+8+Time before48 hours1 week30 days1 year5 years30 yearsAny ageOldest quakes are shown in yellow, most recent in red.[quakes -][quakes +][smaller][bigger]