April 12, 1962 Earthquake: Sanriku, Japan
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Sanriku, Japan on April 12, 1962 at 00:52:43 UTC, 25 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
- April 12, 1962
- Time
- 00:52:43 UTC
- Place
- Sanriku, Japan
- Magnitude
- 7.2 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 25 km (16 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 38.073° N, 142.741° 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.
1962, April 12, 9:52 local time. An earthquake with source off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture was accompanied by a weak tsunami, which was registered by tide gauges. (reference #414)
1962, April 12, 00:53 UTC. 38 N., 142.8 E.; 40 km; M=6.8. (reference #150)
1962, April 12, 00:52:44.8 UTC. 38.1 N, 142.3 E, depth 48 km, magnitude 7-7.25 Ms. Felt at Sendai and Tokyo. (reference #45)
1962, April 12, 00:52:42.99 UTC. 38.073 N, 142.741 E,
depth 24.5 km, magnitude 7.2 Mw, 7.1 Ms. (reference #9910)
1962, April 12, 00:52:44.4 UTC. 38.022 N, 142.789 E, depth 28 km, magnitude 7.3 Mw. (reference #9910)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 15, 1896, Sanriku, Japan
- March 11, 2011, Honshu, Japan
- December 2, 1611, Sanriku, Japan
- February 17, 1793, Sanriku,rikuzen,rikuchu, Japan
- December 6, 1616, Sanriku, Japan
- July 6, 1905, Off Fukushima, Japan
- June 12, 1978, Sanriku, Japan
- June 13, 2008, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan
- March 16, 2022, Off Fukushima, Japan
- April 7, 2011, Near E Coast Honshu, Japan
- October 2, 1678, Sanriku,rikuchu, Japan
- February 13, 2021, Off Fukushima, Japan
- November 5, 1938, Near E Coast Honshu, Japan
- April 30, 1962, Sendai, Honshu, Japan
- March 9, 2011, Sanriku, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1962The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1962Recent 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 6404.