2003 Miyagi earthquakes

Earthquake in Japan Japan Tohoku center yes 260 Japan Tohoku May event 38.849 141.568 Bullseye1.png 50 Japan Tohoku July event 38.415 140.996 Bullseye1.png 40 left Japan Tohoku 38.26 140.87 Sendai bottom 10 Red pog.svg Japan Tohoku 38.4343 141.3029 Ishinomaki Red pog.svg 7 right 2003 Miyagi earthquakes 6849185 7006322 usp000by66 usp000c3bu 2003-05-26 09:24:33 2003-07-25 22:13:29 18:24:33 JST (UTC+9) 07:13:29 JST (UTC+9) w y 7.0, j y 7.1 w y 6.0, j y 6.4 68.0 km on 6 km on Oblique-reverse (May 26), Reverse (July 26) Intraslab (May 26), Asahiyama flexure (July 26) 6+ MMI IX Yes ¥92.9 billion (US$644 million, equivalent to $1.12 billion in 2025) 1.134 g (May 26)2.08 g (July 26) 60.13 cm/s (May 26) 27 ≥w4.0 (May 26) 851 injuries July 26, 2003 May 26, 2003 Two major earthquakes struck Miyagi Prefecture in Japan in 2003. The first event measured j y 7.1, had a near-intermediate depth of 68 km mi and struck the town of Kesennuma, near the border with Iwate Prefecture, injuring 174 people in five prefectures, while the second event, despite having a lower magnitude of j y 6.4, was much more destructive and intense due to occurring much closer to the surface at 6 km mi, injuring nearly 680 people across multiple towns near Sendai and Ishinomaki in Miyagi. Both events caused moderate damage to infrastructure, triggered landslides, soil liquefaction and other ground effects, and damaged or destroyed 18,488 homes, 5,108 of them severely. Tectonic setting The Pacific plate, made of oceanic lithosphere, subducts beneath the Okhotsk Sea plate along a convergent boundary located off the east coast of the northern half of Japan.James D. Kirkpatrick Christie D. Rowe Kohtaro Ujiie J. Casey Moore Christine Regalla Francesca Remitti Virginia Toy Monica Wolfson-Schwehr Jun Kameda Santanu Bose Frederick M. Chester 2014 Structure and lithology of the Japan Trench subduction plate boundary fault Tectonics 34 1 53–69 10.1002/2014TC003695 free 11380/1062152 free It runs from the Boso triple junction and ends near Hokkaido, where it joins the Kuril–Kamchatka Trench. At this location, the Pacific plate moves approximately westward relative to the North American plate at a velocity of 70 mm/yr, subducting beneath Japan at the Japan Trench. This subduction zone is capable of producing megathrust earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 8.5, evident in the historical records. It was on the subduction interface where the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake nucleated. That event involved a 220 km x 400 km rupture area on the subduction zone.Lay Thorne 2018 A review of the rupture characteristics of the 2011 Tohoku-oki Mw 9.1 earthquake Tectonophysics 733 4–36 10.1016/j.tecto.2017.09.022 2018Tectp.733....4L free Earthquakes May 26 With an epicenter in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, the earthquake occurred as the result of oblique-reverse faulting at a depth of 68 km mi.M 7.0 - 27 km SSW of Ōfunato, Japan 2003 usp000by66 The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude of wb 7.0, while the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) measured the earthquake at j 7.1. According to GPS observations, horizontal crustal deformation of up to approximately 1.5 cm in was observed west of the epicenter, consistent with the earthquake's focal mechanism.2003年5月26日宮城県沖の地震の評価 https://www.jishin.go.jp/main/chousa/03may_miyagi/index.htm ja 27 May 2003 1 June 2025 Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion The earthquake was followed by 27 aftershocks that struck throughout the remainder of 2003, most of which occurred in Kesennuma, Miyagi and Rikuzentakata, Iwate; the largest aftershock measured b 4.8.USGS earthquake catalog United States Geological Survey https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=38.52238,140.82413&extent=39.24927,142.49405&range=search&sort=largest&timeZone=utc&search=%7B%22name%22:%22Search%20Results%22,%22params%22:%7B%22endtime%22:%222003-12-31T23:54:33.400Z%22,%22latitude%22:38.849,%22longitude%22:141.568,%22maxradiuskm%22:30,%22minmagnitude%22:4,%22starttime%22:%222003-05-05T09:24:33.400Z%22%7D%7D The earthquake had a maximum intensity of Shindo 6- on Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale, which was observed in both Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures. A USGS seismic installation at Hanamaki, Iwate recorded 0.297 g in ground acceleration (pga) and 53.31 cm/s in ground velocity (pgv); the station data corresponded to a Modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) of IX (Violent); another station in Ishinomaki recorded a pga of 1.134 g.M 7.0 - 27 km SSW of Ōfunato, Japan - ShakeMap 2003 https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usp000by66/map?shakemap-code=atlas20030526092434&shakemap-source=atlas&shakemap-intensity=true&shakemap-mmi-contours=false&shakemap-stations=true MMI IX shaking was also estimated in Kesennuma, based on damage to a road near the epicenter in the town.Classification of road damage due to earthquakes https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-011-0025-0 10.1007/s11069-011-0025-0 16 June 2024 2011 Nat Hazards Springer Science Panjamani Anbazhagan Sushma Srinivas Deepu Chandran 60 2 425–460 subscription Additionally, a map created by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience estimated that shaking exceeding 1,000 gal (1.02 g) had likely been observed in much of northeastern Miyagi and southeastern Iwate.https://www.kyoshin.bosai.go.jp/kyoshin/pubdata/kik/1comp/2003/05/20030526182400/20030526182400.kik_acmap.png Peak Acceleration Contour Map National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience 26 May 2003 1 June 2025 +Locations with a seismic intensity of Shindo 5- and higher26 May 2003 Earthquake information https://www.data.jma.go.jp/eqdb/data/shindo/index.html#20030526182433 31 May 2003 Japan Meteorological AgencyIntensityPrefectureLocations6−MiyagiIshinomaki, Wakuya, KuriharaIwateIchinoseki, Ōfunato, Hiraizumi, Ōshū5+MiyagiKesennuma, Minamisanriku, Tome, Higashimatsushima, Misato, Ōsaki, Shikama, KamiIwateRikuzentakata, Morioka, Kanegasaki, Sumita, Kamaishi, Tōno, Hanamaki, Yahaba, Hirono, NinoheAkitaDaisenAomoriHashikamiYamagataYamgata5−MiyagiŌhira, Ōsato, Taiwa, Sendai, Natori, Kawasaki, Zaō, Ōgawara, WatariIwateKitakami, Nishiwaga, Shiwa, Takizawa, Ōtsuchi, Yamada, Miyako, Iwaizumi, Fudai, Fudai, Kuji, HachimantaiAkitaYuzawa, Ugo, Yokote, Daisen, AkitaAomoriHachinohe, Nanbu, GonoheYamagataMurayamaFukushimaSōma, Minamisōma, Tamura, Tomioka July 26 At 07:13:29 JST (UTC+9) on 26 July (22:13 UTC on 25 July), a w 6.0ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1904–2018) http://www.isc.ac.uk/iscgem/index.php ISC 2022 International Seismological Centre Version 9.1 or j 6.4Okada Tomomi Umino Norihito Hasegawa Akira 2003-12-01 Rupture process of the July 2003 northern Miyagi earthquake sequence, NE Japan, estimated from double-difference hypocenter locations Earth, Planets and Space 55 12 741–750 10.1186/BF03352483 2003EP&S...55..741O 1880-5981 free event struck Ōsato, Miyagi, at a depth of 6 km mi and occurring as a result of reverse faulting.M 6.1 - 7 km NW of Matsushima, Japan 2003 usp000c3bu It was preceded by a w 5.5 or j 5.6 foreshock at 00:13:07 JST,M 5.5 - 8 km NW of Matsushima, Japan 2003 usp000c3ay which had a maximum intensity of Shindo 6- at Higashimatsushima.震度データベース検索 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/eqdb/data/shindo/index.html#20030726001308 live 1 June 2025 www.data.jma.go.jp https://web.archive.org/web/20201113060742/https://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/eqdb/data/shindo/index.html 13 November 2020 The mainshock had a maximum intensity of Shindo 6+ in Higashimatsushima and Misato, Miyagi.震度データベース検索 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/eqdb/data/shindo/index.html#20030726071331 live 1 June 2025 www.data.jma.go.jp https://web.archive.org/web/20201113060742/https://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/eqdb/data/shindo/index.html 13 November 2020 It also had a Modified Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), and a pga of 2,037 gal (2.08 g) was recorded in Naruse (now merged into Higashimatsushima), the highest ever recorded at the time.ja https://www.jla.or.jp/portals/0/html/earthquake/articles/200309/add02.html 1 June 2025 2003年 [三陸南地震] と [宮城県北部の地震] に よる公共図書館の被害 September 2003 JLA 22 August 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120822011104/https://www.jla.or.jp/portals/0/html/earthquake/articles/200309/add02.html dead The mainshock occurred on the previously-unknown Asahiyama flexure, an 8 km mi north-south trending fault in Higashimatsushima.原因は旭山撓曲の活動か　宮城県北部の地震で調査委見解 http://www.asahi.com/special/miyagi/TKY200307260301.html ja 26 July 2003 1 June 2025 TV Asahi https://web.archive.org/web/20030802190458/http://www.asahi.com/special/miyagi/TKY200307260301.html dead 2 August 2003 Aftershocks from the event were distributed in a 15 km x 15 km area, occurring 2-13 km mi beneath the surface. +Locations with a seismic intensity of Shindo 4 and higherIntensityPrefectureLocations6+MiyagiHigashimatsushima, Misato6− MiyagiIshinomaki, Wakuya, Ōsaki5+ MiyagiTome 5− MiyagiKurihara, Ōsato, Sendai4MiyagiKawasaki, Ōgawara, Watari, Natori, Tagajō, Shichigahama, Rifu, Matsushima, Ōhira, Shikama, Minamisanriku, KesennumaIwateRikuzentakata, Ichinoseki, Hiraizumi, Ōshū, Hanamaki, Ōtsuchi, Yahaba, Morioka, Fudai, Fudai, Ninohe AkitaDaisenYamagataMurayama, Mogami, Shinjō, NakayamaFukushimaShinchi, Iwaki Damage and injuries May 26 At least 174 people were injured, 25 of them seriously, including 91 in Iwate, 64 in Miyagi, 10 in Yamagata, 8 in Akita and 1 in Aomori. At least 23 homes partially or completely collapsed, including 12 in Iwate and 11 in Miyagi. At least 2,404 other households suffered partial damage, including 1,183 in Iwate, 1,085 in Miyagi, 132 in Fukushima and 2 each in Akita and Yamagata.宮城県沖を震源とする地震 (確定報) ja https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/assets/post267.pdf Fire and Disaster Management Agency 21 November 2003 1 June 2025 Damage also occurred to 15 libraries in both prefectures, 10 of which suffered broken glass. Twenty-three piers supporting the Tōhoku Shinkansen were damaged in Iwate, mainly in Ōshū and Morioka.2003年5月26日三陸南地震における東北新幹線高架橋橋脚の損傷と局所的な地盤震動特性の関係 Relationship between damage to viaduct piers of the Tohoku Shinkansen line and local ground vibration characteristics during the May 26, 2003 Sanriku-Minami earthquake ja https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/seisankenkyu/55/4/55_4_396/_article/-char/ja/ J-STAGE 2003 4 55 396–398 10.11188/seisankenkyu.55.396 Production Research Kimiro Meguro Masanori Takashima Miho Yoshimura Takehiro Kuroda Yumi Kanno 1 June 2025 Five building fires and 63 landslides occurred and some power and water lines broke in Iwate and Miyagi. Possible soil liquefaction with ground subsidence of at least 10 cm in occurred at Ōfunato, where a 190 m ft long ground crack was observed. Overall, damage from the May 26 event was estimated at ¥33.62 billion (US$233 million).Significant Earthquake Database https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/search National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA 10.7289/V5TD9V7K 1972 Data Set July 26 The w 5.5 foreshock and w 6.0 mainshock injured 677 people, including 675 in Miyagi and 2 in Yamagata; 51 of the injuries in Miyagi were classified as serious. At least 1,276 homes were completely destroyed, 3,809 were partially destroyed and 10,976 more were partially damaged; one home was damaged in Iwate Prefecture while the rest were in Miyagi.宮城県北部を震源とする地震 (確定報) ja https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/assets/post276.pdf Fire and Disaster Management Agency 30 March 2004 1 June 2025 Over 47,000 people and 13,000 households were affected by water outages in eight cities and towns in Miyagi.観測史上初, 1日3回の震度6 宮城県北部の地震 http://www.asahi.com/special/miyagi/TKY200307260319.html ja 26 July 2003 1 June 2025 TV Asahi https://web.archive.org/web/20030802233101/http://www.asahi.com/special/miyagi/TKY200307260319.html dead 2 August 2003 The towns of Nango, Yamoto, Naruse and Kawanami received the worst damage, with 50 homes collapsing or suffering severe damage in Nango alone. Landslides were also reported.徹夜の片づけ中 [またドンときて] 半壊 宮城地震 http://www.asahi.com/special/miyagi/TKY200307260144.html ja 26 July 2003 1 June 2025 TV Asahi https://web.archive.org/web/20031213151750/http://www.asahi.com/special/miyagi/TKY200307260144.html dead 13 December 2003 At Zuigan-ji Temple, many walls were affected by cracks or peeling plaster.国宝・瑞巌寺も被害　 50カ所以上で壁はがれ、亀裂も http://www.asahi.com/special/miyagi/TKY200307270179.html ja 27 July 2003 1 June 2025 TV Asahi https://web.archive.org/web/20030802133945/http://www.asahi.com/special/miyagi/TKY200307270179.html dead 2 August 2003 The shaking also caused a train to derail on the Ishinomaki Line. Overall damage costs from the July 26 events were estimated at ¥59.3 billion (US$411 million). See also List of earthquakes in 2003 List of earthquakes in Japan 1978 Miyagi earthquake 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami References Category:2003 earthquakes Category:May 2003 in Japan Category:July 2003 in Japan Category:2003 disasters in Japan Category:Earthquakes of the Heisei era Category:Earthquakes in Miyagi Prefecture Category:Earthquakes in Iwate Prefecture