Japan: Magnitude-5.4 offshore earthquake occurs east of Fukushima Prefecture at around 09:48 Aug. 4

Event

A magnitude-5.4 offshore earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean east of Fukushima Prefecture at around 09:48 Aug. 4. The epicenter was about 63 km (39 miles) east-northeast of Namie. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 44 km (27 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt throughout Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima, Tochigi, Ibaraki, northern Niigata, far northern Chiba, southern Akita, and southern Iwate prefectures. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; 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.

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

Out of an abundance of caution, consider vacating multistory buildings where shaking occurred until authorities confirm their structural integrity. Monitor and plan for aftershocks.