M5.3 earthquake - 216 km SE of Kushimoto, Japan

What happened

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck 216 km SE of Kushimoto, Japan on 23 Feb 2024, 23:10 UTC at a depth of 404 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Moderate. Can damage poorly built structures close to the epicentre. This was a deep earthquake; shaking at the surface is usually weak for its size.

The nearest town in our records is Kushimoto, about 216 km away in Wakayama, Japan.