Magnitude 5.5 earthquake — Volcano Islands, Japan region
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck the Volcano Islands, Japan region at 19:32:30 UTC on 15 August 2026, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The reviewed USGS solution placed the epicentre at about 23.446°N, 142.787°E, with a depth of roughly 40 km. This was an offshore event in a remote part of the north-western Pacific, rather than a quake centred on Japan’s main inhabited islands.
Available rapid impact assessments indicated a low likelihood of humanitarian consequences. The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System assessed the event as green, estimating that about 2,000 people could have experienced light shaking, while no public felt reports were listed in the USGS-derived event data. No significant tsunami risk or tsunami statement was reported in the available records. A separate GEOFON catalogue also recorded an earthquake at the same time and in the same region, although its preliminary magnitude and depth differed slightly from the USGS’s reviewed values.
- USGS recorded a reviewed magnitude 5.5 offshore earthquake in the Volcano Islands region.
- The quake occurred at 19:32:30 UTC on 15 August 2026 at about 40 km depth.
- Rapid assessments indicated low expected impact, with no significant tsunami risk reported.