October 23, 2004 Earthquake: Niigata Prefecture, Honshu, Japan
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Niigata Prefecture, Honshu, Japan on October 23, 2004 at 08:56:00 UTC, 16 km below the surface. It killed 68 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
- October 23, 2004
- Time
- 08:56:00 UTC
- Place
- Niigata Prefecture, Honshu, Japan
- Magnitude
- 6.6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 16 km (10 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 37.226° N, 138.779° E
- Country
- Japan
The toll
- Deaths
- 68
- Injuries
- 4,805
- Damage
- $28 billion
- Houses destroyed
- 3,175
- Houses damaged
- 119,492
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.
At least 40 people killed, 3,183 injured and 6,000 buildings destroyed or damaged in Niigata Prefecture. A high- speed train derailed; several roads, bridges and rail lines damaged; at least 1,300 landslides and 11 fires occurred; several gas, water and power lines damaged in Niigata Prefecture. Felt in Chiba, Fukushima, Gumma, Kanagawa, Miyagi, Saitama and Tokyo Prefectures. (reference #1053)
2004, October 23. 40 killed, 62,183 affected, $28,000 million damage. (reference #1250)
68 fatalities, 4805 injured, 28 billion USD economic loss (reference #13727)
68 deaths, 4805 injured, 3175 houses destroyed, 13810 partially damaged, 105682 slightly damaged, (reference #14320)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 8, 1847, Zenkoji, Nagano, Japan
- November 11, 1855, Tokyo, Japan
- September 27, 1611, Aidu, Japan
- May 20, 1751, NW, Honshu, Japan
- August 2, 887, Niigata, Honshu, Japan
- February 1, 1666, Takata, Japan
- December 18, 1828, Sandyo IN Etigo, Japan
- January 1, 2024, Ishikawa, Honshu, Japan
- April 9, 1858, N, Hida, Japan
- December 7, 1833, NW, Honshu, Japan
- April 28, 1714, Oomati, Japan
- April 21, 1659, Aidu, Japan
- June 16, 1964, W Coast, Honshu, Japan
- September 13, 1984, Mt Ontake, Central, Honshu, Japan
- June 20, 1894, Tokyo, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 2004The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2004Recent 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 5807.