Earthquake today: Magnitude 6.2 quake shakes part of northern Japan. Tsunami advisory issued?

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook part of northern Japan early Monday, but no damage or casualties have been reported, AP reported.

No tsunami advisory was issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The quake struck 18 kilometres west of the small town of Sarabetsu on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido at a depth of 81 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey. It measured the quake's strength at 6.1 magnitude.

About a week earlier, a 7.7-magnitude offshore earthquake led Japan to issue an advisory warning of a slightly increased risk of a potential megaquake along its northeastern coast.

However, the Japan Meteorological Agency clarified that Monday’s earthquake occurred outside the zone covered by the megaquake advisory, and confirmed that the heightened alert period will conclude as originally scheduled.

Earthquake of magnitude 4.4 strikes Afghanistan

An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck Afghanistan on Monday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 95km.

In a post on X, NCS said, “EQ of M: 4.4, On: 27/04/2026 03:24:40 IST, Lat: 36.109 N, Long: 68.738 E, Depth: 95 Km, Location: Afghanistan.”

Shallow earthquakes are more dangerous than deep earthquakes

Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and greater casualties.

Earthquakes can occur anywhere between the Earth's surface and about 700 kilometres below the surface. For scientific purposes, this earthquake depth range of 0 - 700 km is divided into three zones: shallow, intermediate, and deep, as per USGS data.

Shallow earthquakes are between 0 and 70 km deep; intermediate earthquakes, 70 - 300 km deep; and deep earthquakes, 300 - 700 km deep. In general, the term "deep-focus earthquakes" is applied to earthquakes deeper than 70 km, the USGS states.

Afghanistan frequently experiences earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush region, which lies in a highly active seismic zone, according to the Red Cross.

Afghanistan's vulnerability to earthquakes is linked to its location along the collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. A major fault line also passes through parts of the country, including the Herat region.

The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) notes that Afghanistan remains extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, including earthquakes, landslides and seasonal flooding. Repeated tremors worsen the situation for communities already struggling with decades of conflict and limited development, leaving them with minimal resilience to withstand multiple shocks.

(With inputs from agencies)