A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck parts of Japan's Hokkaido on Sunday evening, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said, the second tremor to hit the East Asian nation in a day.The epicentre was located off the coast of Urakawa in Hokkaido. The quake struck at a depth of 40 kilometres. However, no tsunami warning was issued.
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 struck Japan’s eastern region earlier this morning, injuring more than 40 people in Tokyo and neighbouring prefectures, according to the official Kyodo News Agency.
Following the tremor, the weather agency issued a warning that Japan could experience similar earthquakes in the coming days.
The earthquake struck at around 2am local time, with its epicentre in southern Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of 68 kilometres, local media reported.
The tremor recorded a lower 5 on Japan’s seven-level seismic intensity scale in parts of Ibaraki as well as central Tokyo.
Most of those injured in the first earthquake that shook Tokyo were hurt after falling or colliding with furniture and doors, the Associated Press reported, citing officials. Many were asleep when the tremor struck and panicked as they got out of bed.
Train services disrupted across regions
The earthquake also affected rail services, with express trains operating between Tokyo and Narita Airport facing delays, along with other local services in northeastern parts of the country. However, Shinkansen bullet train services continued to operate normally.
Transportation was also disrupted following the morning tremor. Some train services began later than scheduled, while others were forced to operate at lower speeds, JR East and other operators said, according to Kyodo News. Some express services run by Tobu Railway remained suspended.
Japan warns of more earthquakes
The Japanese government formed a task force to assess potential damage from the earthquake, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was quoted as saying.
Japan’s weather agency also warned that similar earthquakes could occur in the coming days following the tremors.
The earthquake, which originated in southern Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of 68 kilometres, was felt across a large area of the country, including parts of northeastern and central Japan.
Last month, a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto region on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, leaving 38 people dead and 364 others injured.
