Earthquake Now: Live Updates on Magnitude, Epicenter, Aftershocks & Safety Tips

Seismologists confirm a magnitude-5.5 earthquake struck near Naze in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, at 14:07 local time today, shaking parts of the Tokara Islands and southern Kyushu, according to real-time USGS data. The tremor occurred at a shallow depth of about 10 km, intensifying ground motion felt across Amami Ōshima and prompting Japan’s Meteorological Agency to issue—but quickly cancel—a minor tsunami advisory for nearby coastal villages. Residents reported sudden, sharp jolts lasting 15–20 seconds, rattling windows and toppling items from shelves. No major injuries or structural damage have been announced by prefectural officials, yet local authorities urged people to inspect homes for cracked walls, dislodged roof tiles, and gas leaks. Train operators JR Kyushu and the Kyushu Shinkansen paused services for safety inspections but resumed limited schedules within an hour. Today’s quake is the strongest in the Tokara chain since last year’s magnitude-5.6 event and is part of an ongoing swarm attributed to the Philippine Sea Plate subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate. Over the past 24 hours, monitoring networks have logged more than 40 aftershocks above magnitude 3.0 in the same region, heightening public anxiety about a larger shock. Experts at the University of Tokyo’s Earthquake Research Institute say the statistical probability of a stronger follow-up tremor (M 6.0+) remains low, but they advise residents to secure heavy furniture and refresh emergency kits. Elsewhere today, moderate quakes were recorded 4 km southwest of Big Lake, Alaska (M 3.1) and 102 km northwest of Charlotte Amalie in the U.S. Virgin Islands (M 3.9). While these events caused no reported damage, they underscore a globally elevated seismic day, driving heightened searches for “earthquake now,” “latest earthquake today,” and “how strong was the earthquake just now.” How to stay informed • Enable smartphone alerts from the JMA, USGS, or the EMSC LastQuake app. • Follow official prefectural and municipal social-media feeds for evacuation guidance. • Consult live seismic maps and magnitude tables to verify rumors before sharing on social platforms. Preparedness checklist 1. Anchor bookcases, TVs, and kitchen appliances. 2. Stock at least 72 hours of water (4 L per person per day) and non-perishable food. 3. Keep flashlights, portable chargers, and a battery-powered radio accessible. 4. Practice “Drop, Cover, Hold On” drills with family members. What comes next Seismic stations will refine the focal mechanism over the next few hours; preliminary solutions indicate oblique-normal faulting consistent with regional tectonics. If you feel shaking again, expect aftershocks and move away from shoreline areas until tsunami centers issue an all-clear. For continuous updates on today’s earthquakes, bookmark the USGS “Latest Earthquakes” dashboard and enable location-based push notifications to receive magnitude, depth, and epicenter data within seconds of each event.