June 10, 1938 Earthquake: SW Ryukyu Islands, Japan

Name: June 10, 1938 Earthquake: SW Ryukyu Islands, Japan
Start: 1938-06-10
Location: SW Ryukyu Islands, Japan

June 10, 1938 · M7.6

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck SW Ryukyu Islands, Japan on June 10, 1938 at 09:53:44 UTC, 35 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date: June 10, 1938
Time: 09:53:44 UTC
Place: SW Ryukyu Islands, Japan
Magnitude: 7.6 (Mw)
Focal depth: 35 km (22 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 25.208° N, 125.115° E
Country: Japan

The toll

Damage: Limited (under about $1 million) with its tsunami and other effects

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Reference #88:

1938, June 10, 09:53:39 UTC. 25.5 N, 125 E, shallow depth, magnitude 7.7.

Reference #130:

1938, June 10, 09:53:39 UTC. 25.5 N, 125 E, magnitude 7.7.

Reference #9910:

1938, June 10, 09:53:44.56 UTC, 25.208 N, 125.115 E, depth 35 km, 7.6 Mw P&S, 7.7 Ms ABE1, 7.5 Ms P&S, 7.3 mB ABE1, 7.7 UK B&D.

Reference #414:

1938, June 10, 18:53 local time. There was an earthquake in the region of Miyako Island.

Iida et al. (1967): 10.VI; 9h53m; 23.3o N., 125.2o E.; M=6.7; m=0.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1938 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1938 Recent earthquakes near here This day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 3621.