2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake — earthquake struck Niigata prefecture, Japan on 16 July 2007
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Niigata Prefecture, Japan, killing 11 people and damaging the world's largest nuclear power plant.
Key Facts
- Magnitude
- 6.6 Mw
- Deaths
- 11
- Injuries
- at least 1,000
- Buildings destroyed
- 342
- Peak seismic intensity
- Strong 6 (shindo scale)
- Occurrence time
- 10:13 local (01:13 UTC), 16 July 2007
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The earthquake originated along a previously unknown offshore fault beneath northwest Niigata Prefecture. The fault had not been identified prior to the event, making the seismic hazard in that area underestimated. The rupture released energy equivalent to a magnitude 6.6 event, triggering strong ground shaking across Niigata and neighboring prefectures.
At 10:13 local time on July 16, 2007, the Chūetsu offshore earthquake struck northwest Niigata Prefecture with a magnitude of 6.6. The cities of Kashiwazaki and the villages of Iizuna and Kariwa recorded the maximum shindo intensity of strong 6. Shaking was felt as far away as Tokyo, and the event caused widespread alarm across the region.
Eleven people died and at least 1,000 were injured, while 342 buildings—predominantly older wooden structures—were completely destroyed. Prime Minister Shinzō Abe suspended his election campaign to visit the affected area and pledged emergency restoration of gas and electricity services. The earthquake also caused damage and a fire at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 11 (earthquake)