A MODERATE magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Japan’s Ryukyu Islands on Sunday afternoon, but posed no tsunami threat to Malaysia, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
MetMalaysia said the earthquake occurred at 3.28pm at coordinates 28.4 degrees North and 129.4 degrees East, with the epicentre about 293 kilometres northeast of Naha, Japan, at a depth of 53 kilometres.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) initially reported the earthquake at magnitude 5.5, occurring at about 4.28pm local time, roughly 16 kilometres northwest of Naze at a depth of 23 kilometres.
No casualties or material damage were initially reported.
The EMSC later revised the magnitude to 5.1, with updated data placing the epicentre about 14 kilometres west of Naze at a depth of 69 kilometres.
“The incident does not pose a tsunami threat to Malaysia,” MetMalaysia said. - September 20, 2026
