A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 shook eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early Sunday morning. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, no tsunami threat was associated with the quake.
The earthquake occurred in the southern prefecture of Ibaraki, at a depth of 70 kilometers (42 miles), as reported by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The United States Geological Survey recorded a preliminary magnitude of 5.8.
Currently, there are no reports of damage or injuries. The government has established a task force to assess the potential impact, stated Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in a post on X.
Emergency earthquake alerts were activated on mobile phones, and Tokyo’s vicinity experienced the tremors. However, NHK, the public broadcaster, showed normal traffic flow in nearby cities such as Mito and Saitama. A water pipe burst in Tokyo’s eastern Koto district, spilling water onto the street, according to images from NHK.
About 460 homes in Tokyo experienced power outages, reported TEPCO Power Grid. The Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed no irregularities in approximately a dozen nuclear power plants and other facilities handling nuclear materials.
Last month, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit the Kumamoto area on Japan’s southernmost island, Kyushu, resulting in 38 fatalities and 364 injuries. It also destroyed over 1,500 structures and damaged nearly 20,000 more.