March 21, 1982 Earthquake: Hokkaido, Urakawa, Hiroo, Japan
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Hokkaido, Urakawa, Hiroo, Japan on March 21, 1982 at 02:32:07 UTC, 44 km below the surface. It killed 110 people.
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
- March 21, 1982
- Time
- 02:32:07 UTC
- Place
- Hokkaido, Urakawa, Hiroo, Japan
- Magnitude
- 6.7 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 44 km (27 mi)
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 42.158° N, 142.361° E
- Country
- Japan
The toll
- Deaths
- 110
- Injuries
- 100
- Damage
- $1 million
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.
One hundred ten people injured and extensive damage (VI JMA) in southern Hokkaido. Also felt in northern and central Honshu, Japan. (reference #1053)
110 deaths, 100 injured, USD 1 million damages (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 8, 1766, Hirosaki, Japan
- July 31, 1640, Uchiura Bay, Japan
- May 16, 1968, Off East Coast of Honshu Island, Japan
- September 5, 2018, Hokkaido, Japan
- March 4, 1952, Hokkaido, Japan
- August 9, 1901, Off Northeast Coast Honshu, Japan
- September 25, 2003, Hokkaido, Japan
- January 15, 1993, Hokkadio, Kushiro, Hachinohe, Honshu, Japan
- May 21, 1962, Off Coast of Honshu Island, Japan
- March 9, 1952, Hokkaido, Japan
- May 16, 1968, Off Coast of Honshu Island, Japan
- September 11, 2008, Hokkaido, Japan
- August 2, 1971, Japan Trench
- April 23, 1962, SE. Hokkaido Island, Japan
- March 11, 1763, N. Sanriku, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1982The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1982Recent 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 4940.