Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Shakes Eastern Japan, Injuring 12 and Disrupting Trains

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake jolted eastern Japan on Sunday, with strong shaking felt across Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures, including Ibaraki, Saitama, and Chiba.

The earthquake occurred around 2:00 AM local time, with its epicenter located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of 68 kilometers. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that the seismic intensity reached lower 5 on the Japanese scale in Tokyo and the surrounding areas. Fortunately, the quake did not trigger a tsunami warning.

Authorities reported at least 12 minor injuries. The Saitama prefectural government confirmed nine individuals sustained light injuries, while fire departments in Kawasaki city reported three others hurt. Transportation services were affected, with JR East announcing temporary delays and suspensions on several metropolitan lines for safety inspections.

Critical infrastructure appeared to withstand the tremor. The Nuclear Regulation Authority stated that no anomalies were detected at the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant in Ibaraki. TEPCO, the electric power company, also confirmed no impacts on its main facilities. Japan, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences frequent seismic activity, and its infrastructure is built to withstand such events. However, the JMA cautioned that earthquakes of similar intensity could occur in the coming week, urging continued vigilance.

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Today, around 2:00 AM local time (17:00 GMT on Saturday), an earthquake occurred with its epicenter in the south of Ibaraki Prefecture, and strong tremors of up to lower 5 on the seismic intensity scale were recorded in the 23 districts of Tokyo and in the prefectures of Ibaraki, Saitama, and Chiba.