A preliminary 5.9-magnitude earthquake rattled eastern Japan early Sunday, resulting in multiple injuries across prefectures surrounding Tokyo and causing widespread transit disruptions, according to local authorities and meteorological officials.
Earthquake strikes eastern Japan
The temblor struck at 2:00 am, with its epicentre located in the southern section of Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of 68 kilometres, Kyodo News reported. The Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed that the seismic event did not trigger a tsunami threat. The quake registered a lower 5 on Japan’s 7-point seismic intensity scale across portions of Ibaraki as well as central Tokyo. The weather agency categorises a lower 5 intensity as shaking pronounced enough to cause alarm, compelling individuals to seek stability while unanchored items risk falling from shelves. Transport services disrupted The earthquake triggered delays for early morning train operations, while several services were compelled to proceed at reduced speeds, according to JR East and regional transit operators. Keisei Line, which links central Tokyo’s Ueno to Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture, reported that normal operations resumed after 9:40 am, Kyodo News reported. However, selected express routes operated by Tobu Railway remained suspended.
Injuries and damage reported
The seismic activity resulted in several injuries across neighbouring regions, according to local fire departments. Casualties included a young man and a woman in her 70s in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, alongside three injured individuals in Kawasaki, situated just south of the capital. In Tokyo’s Koto Ward, a ruptured water main prompted metropolitan officials to examine whether the structural damage was directly connected to the temblor. Similar intensity readings of lower 5 were documented in parts of Chiba and Saitama prefectures. Within central Tokyo, Adachi Ward logged a lower 5 intensity, while remaining districts experienced lighter shaking. No operational irregularities were reported at the Tokai No. 2 nuclear facility in Ibaraki Prefecture, nor at the Fukushima Daiichi or Fukushima Daini nuclear power stations in northeastern Japan, nuclear operators confirmed, according to Kyodo News. Taking to social media, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that she instructed government officials to determine the scope of damage caused by the earthquake and ensure timely public information dispatches. The weather agency cautioned the public to remain vigilant for potential aftershocks registering up to lower 5 intensity over the coming week, emphasising heightened alert for the next two to three days, Kyodo News reported. The early morning quake was felt across extensive regions, stretching across northeastern and central Japan, following an automated emergency earthquake alert issued by authorities when the tremor hit.
