Significant earthquakes of 2004

December 14, 2004 Earthquake: Obiro, Haboro, Tomamae, Hokkaido, Japan

December 14, 2004 · M5.8

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Obiro, Haboro, Tomamae, Hokkaido, Japan on December 14, 2004 at 05:56:10 UTC, 10 km below the surface.

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
December 14, 2004
Time
05:56:10 UTC
Place
Obiro, Haboro, Tomamae, Hokkaido, Japan
Magnitude
5.8 (Mw)
Focal depth
10 km (6 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
44.119° N, 141.793° E
Country
Japan

The toll

Injuries
3
Damage
Limited (under about $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.

Two people injured at Obira and

one at Haboro. Some buildings, roads and water lines

damaged at Tomamae. Felt in northern and western

Hokkaido. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

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 5822.