July 18, 1961 Earthquake: Ryukyu Islands, Japan

Name: July 18, 1961 Earthquake: Ryukyu Islands, Japan
Start: 1961-07-18
Location: Ryukyu Islands, Japan

July 18, 1961

An earthquake struck Ryukyu Islands, Japan on July 18, 1961 at 14:04:00 UTC, 60 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: July 18, 1961
Time: 14:04:00 UTC
Place: Ryukyu Islands, Japan
Focal depth: 60 km (37 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 29.600° N, 131.800° 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:

1961, July 18, 23:04 local time. There was an earthquake with source on the north of the Ryukyu Islands. It was accompanied by a weak tsunami, which was registered by tide gauges.

Watanabe (1968): 18.VII; 14h04m; 30.2o N., 131.9o E.; 20 km; M=6.6, m=-1.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1961 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1961 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 6397.