M4.8 earthquake - 69 km E of Shikotan, Russia

What happened

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck 69 km E of Shikotan, Russia on 28 Dec 2016, 02:46 UTC at a depth of 56 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Light. Widely felt nearby; objects may shake or fall. Significant damage is unusual. This was a shallow earthquake, which tends to be felt more strongly at the surface.

The nearest town in our records is Nemuro, about 168 km away in Hokkaido, Japan.