M4.4 earthquake near Wakkanai, Hokkaido

What happened

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck 28 km W of Rishiri Town, Japan on 17 May 2022, 14:57 UTC at a depth of 229 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Light. Widely felt nearby; objects may shake or fall. Significant damage is unusual. This was an intermediate-depth earthquake, so shaking is spread over a wider, gentler area.

The nearest town in our records is Wakkanai, about 70 km away in Hokkaido, Japan.