Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake hits northeast Japan, no Tsunami warning issued

Three people were reported to be injured in an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 that rocked the northeastern part of Japan on Wednesday. However, there was no tsunami warning issued and no account of serious property damage, according to the meteorological agency and local officials.  

The Kyodo News reported that the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) revealed the earthquake hit Hashikami, Aomori Prefecture, at around 2:46 a.m., with a magnitude of upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7. According to the JMA, the epicenter of the quake is in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Iwate Prefecture at a depth of around 56 kilometres. 

Recent developments of quake hits northeastern Japan

Several people have found it hard to move during the higher 5 intensity level of an earthquake, and walking without grabbing onto anything firm is challenging. Tohoku Electric Power Co. has revealed that no anomalies were discovered at its two nuclear power facilities in Aomori and Miyagi prefectures after the earthquake, Kyodo News reported. 

Following the early-morning tremor, the Japanese government has established a liaison office in the prime minister's office to collect further details about the consequences of the shock. The meteorological agency first recorded a magnitude of 6.0 in the scale, but subsequently corrected it to 5.9, as well as changing the focal depth from 50 km to 56 km.  

According to the meteorological agency, the seismic tremor has been recorded at a lower 5 in Iwate Prefecture as well as a portion of Aomori Prefecture. Some regions of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost major island, were also affected by the quake. Further, the meteorological agency has also warned that within a week, there is a probability of other seismic events with an earthquake magnitude of 5 or higher and with the highest danger occurring in the next few days. 

Earthquakes in Japan

Meanwhile, last month on September 21, An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 rocked Japan at 1:55 a.m., according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The quake struck at a depth of around 10 kilometres at a distance of roughly 1593 kilometres northeast of Tokyo. The quake neighbouring Kuril Island, which is around 1,300 kilometres northeast of Hokkaido in Japan, NCS reported.  

While, another 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the shore of Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture barely a week ago in September, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Around 7:46 a.m. local time, at 450 km deep, the earthquake struck near 32.2 degrees north latitude and 138.2 degrees east longitude. Furthermore, no injuries or property damage had been recorded. 

(Image: AP/ Representative Image)