Strong earthquake · January 21, 2026

M 6.1 Earthquake, Volcano Islands, Japan region

A magnitude 6.1 (mww) earthquake struck Volcano Islands, Japan region on January 21, 2026 at 16:37 UTC, at a depth of about 8 km (5 mi), according to the USGS. The USGS PAGER alert level is green.

Updated Apr 18, 2026, 10:47 AM EDT (USGS snapshot)

M 6.1 mww PAGER Green Reviewed by a seismologist

This is not an early-warning system. For tsunami warnings see tsunami.gov; for emergencies follow local authorities.

Event details
Magnitude6.1 mww (Strong)
Time (UTC)
U.S. Eastern TimeJan 21, 2026, 11:37 AM EST
LocationVolcano Islands, Japan region
Coordinates23.200° N, 142.604° E
Depth8.0 km (5.0 mi), shallow
Felt reportsNone reported
ShakeMap intensityMMI 3.4 (estimated maximum)
Tsunami flagNo
PAGER alertGreen
USGS event IDus7000rr5g

Source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, event us7000rr5g. Last updated by the USGS Apr 18, 2026, 14:47:42 UTC.

USGS event page View on OpenStreetMap

What the numbers mean

Tsunami flag
The USGS sets this flag for large events in oceanic regions. It does not mean a tsunami happened or will happen. Official tsunami warnings come from the NOAA Tsunami Warning Centers at tsunami.gov.
PAGER alert
An automatic USGS estimate of likely fatalities and economic losses: green (little or none), yellow, orange, or red (highest). It can change as more data arrives.
Felt reports
People who felt shaking can describe it through the USGS "Did You Feel It?" survey on the event page. The count grows for hours or days after an event.
Local time
The local time at the epicenter is not shown because the area spans more than one time zone or is offshore.

Other recent earthquakes within 300 km

Nearby events from the past 30 days (M 4.5+), past 7 days (M 2.5+), and past year (M 6+)
MagnitudeLocationTimeDepth
M 4.6Volcano Islands, Japan region
0 sec ago		133.1 km
M 4.6Volcano Islands, Japan region
0 sec ago		201.3 km
M 4.5Volcano Islands, Japan region
0 sec ago		72.0 km
M 4.9Volcano Islands, Japan region
0 sec ago		35.0 km
M 5.1Volcano Islands, Japan region PAGER green
0 sec ago		10.0 km
M 6.0Volcano Islands, Japan region PAGER green
47 days ago		20.0 km

After an earthquake

Expect aftershocks. If you are near the coast and feel strong or long shaking, move to high ground right away without waiting for an official warning. Check on neighbors and follow instructions from local emergency officials.

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