5.9-magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Japan including Tokyo, disrupting trains
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
The quake originated in the southern part of Ibaraki prefecture.
PHOTO: USGS
- A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Japan on Aug 23, with a strong jolt felt in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures, causing injuries and some infrastructure damage.
- No tsunami threat or abnormalities were reported at nearby nuclear power plants, including Fukushima and Tokai No. 2.
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ordered damage assessments and timely public updates, while the Japan Meteorological Agency warned of possible aftershocks over the next week.
AI generated
TOKYO – An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 struck eastern Japan early on Aug 23, with a strong jolt felt in the capital Tokyo, but it posed no threat of tsunami, the weather agency said.
The 2am (1am Singapore time) quake, which originated in the southern part of Ibaraki prefecture at a depth of 68km, did not trigger a tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The temblor registered lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in parts of the prefecture as well as in central Tokyo. A lower 5 quake is defined by the agency as shaking that causes most people to be frightened and to hold on to something stable, while objects may fall from shelves.
The start of some train services was delayed following the quake, while some trains ran at reduced speed, said JR East and other operators.
The operator of the Keisei Line connecting Ueno in central Tokyo to Narita airport in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, said services had returned to normal after 9.40am.
Some express services operated by Tobu Railway remained halted.
Multiple people were injured in the earthquake, including a young man and a woman in her 70s in Saitama, near Tokyo, as well as three people in Kawasaki, just south of Tokyo, according to local fire departments.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said that at least 37 people had suffered minor injuries, AFP reported.
In Tokyo’s Koto ward, a water main ruptured, prompting metropolitan authorities to look into whether the damage was linked to the quake.
A lower-5 intensity was also recorded in parts of Saitama and Chiba prefectures. In central Tokyo, the same intensity was registered in Adachi ward, while other parts of the capital recorded lower intensities.
No abnormalities were detected at the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant in Ibaraki prefecture, according to its operator. No abnormalities were also reported at the disaster-struck Fukushima Daiichi plant and the nearby Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant, both north of the prefecture, according to their operator.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on social media that she has instructed officials to ascertain the extent of the damage from the quake and provide timely information to the public.
The Japan Meteorological Agency urged the public to remain alert for an earthquake registering lower 5 on the seismic intensity scale over the next week, especially during the next two to three days.
The Aug 23 quake was felt across a wide swath of the country, including north-eastern and central Japan. KYODO NEWS
