August 12, 1956 Earthquake: Izu Peninsula, Japan
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Izu Peninsula, Japan on August 12, 1956 at 16:59:37 UTC, 50 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
- August 12, 1956
- Time
- 16:59:37 UTC
- Place
- Izu Peninsula, Japan
- Magnitude
- 6.5 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 50 km (31 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 33.800° N, 138.800° E
- Country
- Japan
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #414:
August 13, 1:59 [local time], 1956, there was an earthquake with source off the Izu Peninsula. A very weak tsunami was reported, but these data were not confirmed later.
Iida et al. (1967): 12.VIII; 16h59m; 33.8 N., 138.8 E.; 40-60 km; M=6.5, m=-1.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 1, 1923, Tokyo, Yokohama, Japan
- May 27, 1293, Kamakura, Japan
- December 30, 1703, Off SW Boso Peninsula, Japan
- September 20, 1498, Enshunada Sea, Japan
- January 12, 1945, S, Honshu, Japan
- October 28, 1707, Enshunada, Japan
- December 7, 1944, Off Southeast Coast Kii Peninsula, Japan
- February 3, 1605, Enshunada, Japan
- December 23, 1854, Enshunada Sea, Japan
- December 17, 1096, Enshunada, Japan
- November 25, 1930, Idu, Honshu, Japan
- September 12, 1495, Kamakura, Japan
- March 1, 1633, Odawara, Japan
- March 11, 1853, Odawara, Japan
- May 8, 1974, Nakagi, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1956The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1956Recent earthquakes near hereThis 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 6374.