Japan: Magnitude-6.1 offshore earthquake occurs in North Pacific Ocean near the Izu Islands region at around 10:59 Oct. 5

Event

A magnitude-6.1 earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean near the Izu Islands region at 10:59 Oct. 5. The epicenter was about 532 km (330 miles) south of Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of the Izu Islands. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami advisory for the Izu Islands, warning of hazardous tsunami waves of up to 1 meter (0.3 feet) above tide level over the coming hours.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.

Advice

Move away from the immediate coastline; tsunamis can be long-duration events, and the threat may persist for hours. Vacate multistoried buildings or unreinforced structures in areas where strong shaking occurred; aftershocks could cause additional damage. Cellular networks may be overwhelmed; use text messaging if services are available. Due to the threat of landslides, seek updated information on road conditions before driving in hilly areas in the affected area.