M7

2016 Japan Earthquake

Kumamoto, Kyushu, Japan — April 16, 2016

The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake struck two days after an M6.2 foreshock, causing widespread damage across Kyushu. The sequence toppled the iconic stone walls of Kumamoto Castle and triggered large landslides. The earthquake revealed vulnerabilities in buildings constructed to older seismic codes from the 1980s.

Earthquake Facts

Magnitude

M7

Date

Apr 16, 2016

Depth

10 km

Deaths

273

Latitude

32.791°

Longitude

130.754°

Tsunami

No

Region

Japan

Tectonic Cause

Right-lateral strike-slip rupture on the Futagawa Fault in the Beppu-Shimabara graben system, a zone of crustal extension crossing Kyushu Island.

Aftermath in Pictures

Photos from Wikimedia Commons — open licenses (CC / Public Domain)

Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under open licenses. Attribution required where specified. Click any image to enlarge.

Sources & Further Reading

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