M6.0 earthquake near Yakumo, Hokkaido

What happened

A magnitude 6 earthquake struck 118 km WSW of Iwanai, Japan on 8 May 1981, 23:34 UTC at a depth of 200 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Strong. Can cause damage in populated areas up to tens of kilometres away. This was an intermediate-depth earthquake, so shaking is spread over a wider, gentler area.

The nearest town in our records is Yakumo, about 104 km away in Hokkaido, Japan.