5.9-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Eastern Japan, Injuring 23 People

A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 struck eastern Japan early Sunday, shaking Tokyo and surrounding areas and injuring at least 23 people, officials said.

There was no threat of a tsunami following the earthquake, which occurred in southern Ibaraki prefecture at a depth of about 70 kilometres.

The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded the quake at magnitude 5.9, while the US Geological Survey gave a preliminary magnitude of 5.8.

The injuries were reported across four prefectures. Nine people were hurt in Saitama, nine in Kanagawa, four in Chiba and one in Ibaraki, according to local authorities.

Most of those injured suffered minor injuries after falling or striking furniture and doors as the earthquake caught them by surprise, particularly people who were asleep when the shaking began.

An elderly woman in her 80s suffered a serious hip injury after falling from her bed in Yokohama, Kanagawa, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.

The earthquake triggered emergency alerts on mobile phones and caused strong shaking in Tokyo. Television footage showed traffic continuing normally in several nearby cities, including Mito and Saitama.

Some transport services were disrupted. Express trains serving Tokyo and Narita Airport experienced delays, along with several local services in northeastern parts of the country. Shinkansen bullet trains continued operating normally, according to East Japan Railway Co.

The earthquake also caused damage to infrastructure in Tokyo. An underground water pipe ruptured in Koto Ward, sending water onto a road. The leak was later stopped after the pipe was repaired.

About 460 homes in Tokyo temporarily lost electricity following the earthquake, according to TEPCO Power Grid. Power was restored by Sunday morning.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had established a task force to assess potential damage and coordinate the response.

Authorities also checked nuclear facilities across the affected region. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no reported abnormalities at about a dozen nuclear power plants and other facilities handling nuclear materials.

The earthquake struck in a country that regularly experiences seismic activity because of its location along several major tectonic boundaries. Authorities continued monitoring the situation for further seismic activity and possible damage.

The latest tremor came after a much stronger earthquake struck Japan’s southern Kyushu region last month. That magnitude 7.1 earthquake killed 38 people, injured 364 others and destroyed more than 1,500 buildings, while nearly 20,000 additional structures were damaged.