Strong M6.6 earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan
A strong earthquake registered by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) as M6.6 hit off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, Honshu, Japan at 01:27 UTC (10:27 JST) on May 1, 2021. The agency is reporting a depth of 60 km (37 miles). USGS is reporting M6.8 at a depth of 47 km (29 miles), EMSC M6.8 at a depth of 60 km.
The epicenter was located 38 km (24 miles) ESE of Ishinomaki (population 117 233), 45 km (28 miles) ESE of Yamoto (population 32 028) and 70 km (44 miles) E of Sendai (population 1 063 103), Miyagi, Japan.
There are 2 450 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles).
1 309 000 people are estimated to have felt strong shaking and 1 166 000 light.
The USGS issued a green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are heavy wood frame and reinforced/confined masonry construction.
This earthquake poses no tsunami risk, JMA said.
Image credit: TW/SAM, Google
Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking
Selected cities exposed
Regional seismicity
Featured image credit: TW/SAM, Google
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Spaceweather.com: CME MINI-IMPACTS POSSIBLE THIS WEEK: The sun produced a flurry of CMEs on April 25th and 26th. None of them was Earth-directed, but one or two *might* deliver glancing blows to Earth’s magnetic field later this week. The most likely date of impact would be April 30th. As early as 1967 there was a study “Solar activity as a triggering mechanism for earthquakes” by John F. Simpson and until recently denied by NASA