A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Japan in the early hours of Sunday, resulting in at least 24 injuries in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures. Buildings and shops were damaged, items fell from shelves, and some train services were temporarily disrupted. The Japan Meteorological Agency indicated that this earthquake is unlikely to be linked to the major quake along the Nankai Trough.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the earthquake occurred at 01:04 local time on Sunday, 8 November, centered west of Shizuoka Prefecture at a depth of approximately 40 kilometers. The preliminary magnitude was 5.7, with a maximum seismic intensity of upper 5 on Japan's seismic scale recorded in Chita City, Aichi Prefecture. No tsunami warning was issued.
Additionally, lower 5 intensity tremors were detected in parts of Aichi, Nagano, and Gifu prefectures.
According to Japan's seismic scale, upper 5 intensity makes it difficult for most people to walk without holding onto something and may cause unsecured furniture to topple. Lower 5 intensity can cause items such as dishes and books to fall from shelves.
Officials stated there were no fatalities, but injuries were reported in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures. Emergency responders in Aichi told AFP news agency they received reports of 16 injured people, most with minor wounds.
Meanwhile, officials in neighboring Shizuoka Prefecture reported at least three women sought emergency treatment, including a woman over 90 years old who injured her shoulder after falling from a bed during the quake.
Local newspaper Chunichi Shimbun and Tokai TV separately reported at least 24 injured people across the two prefectures.
In Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, a car dealership's front glass was shattered, and a large bookstore in Toyota City, the same prefecture, reported goods falling from shelves.
The tremors were also felt as far away as Osaka in western Japan. Local media reported a foreign resident was hospitalized after falling from a second-floor apartment in panic during the quake. However, immediate contact with officials in Osaka for further information was not available.
The earthquake affected train operations in several areas, with some local train lines suspending or halting services temporarily on Sunday morning, including the high-speed Shinkansen trains.
JR Central stated that Shinkansen trains between Shizuoka and Gifu-Hashima stations reduced speed for safety, causing delays before returning to normal speeds before noon. The Japanese government established a coordination office to manage the earthquake response.
Chubu Electric Power, operator of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, reported no abnormalities at the plant following the earthquake.
The plant is located near the area predicted to be a potential source of a major quake along the Nankai Trough, a region under close monitoring by Japanese authorities. However, the Japan Meteorological Agency assessed that Sunday's earthquake is unlikely related to a possible large Nankai Trough earthquake.
Additionally, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported a magnitude 4.3 earthquake at 10:53 on Sunday in Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan, with no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries.
That region is still recovering from a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in July, which caused 38 deaths, destroyed homes, and left tens of thousands without power.
Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area with active tectonic plate movements that cause hundreds of earthquakes annually.
The 9.0 magnitude offshore earthquake in 2011 remains one of the country's worst disasters, triggering a tsunami that resulted in approximately 18,500 deaths or missing persons and severe damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
."source"KYODO NEWS / AFP