A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck southeast of Shikoku, Japan, at 1717 GMT on Wednesday, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).
The epicenter was initially pinpointed at 31.63 degrees north latitude and 132.02 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 10 kilometers, GFZ reported.
The GFZ also registered a separate, stronger earthquake in the region earlier on Tuesday, February 25th. This quake, centered on Shikoku, Japan, registered a magnitude of 5.2 at 09:07:45.1 UTC. The epicenter of the 5.2 magnitude quake was located at 32.11°N, 132.60°E, at a depth of 14 kilometers, according to GFZ data.
The GEOFON program, operated by GFZ Potsdam, confirmed the 5.2 magnitude event, classifying it as a “confirmed” quake (Status C). The event involved nodal planes with strikes and dips of 190° 48° -67° and 338° 45° -113°, respectively, as determined through standard inversion using body and surface waves.
A smaller magnitude 4.6 earthquake was also detected by GFZ on February 25th, located near the Banda Sea.
As of Thursday, February 26th, GFZ continues to monitor seismic activity in the region.
