Japan: Magnitude-5.1 offshore earthquake occurs in the North Pacific Ocean, near far northeastern Iwate Prefecture, Oct. 18

A magnitude-5.1 offshore earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean, approximately 48 km (30 miles) east-northeast of Noda, Iwate Prefecture, at around 13:38 Oct. 18. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 63 km (39 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout Iwate, Akita, Aomori, far southern Hokkaido, and far northern Miyagi prefectures. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties; however, significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are possible over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

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.