Strong Quake In Central Japan; 1 Dead, More Than 20 Injured

TOKYO, Japan – On Friday afternoon, a strong, shallow earth quake struck central Japan, killing at least one person and wounding more than 20 others and interrupting vacation preparations.

According to the US Geological Survey, the magnitude 6.2 quake struck Ishikawa prefecture on the west coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu. The quake was centered at a depth of roughly 12 kilometers (7.5 miles), according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Since then, more than 50 aftershocks of sufficient magnitude have been reported, including one of 5.8 magnitude on Friday night.

Most injuries and property damage were reported at Suzu, near the northern tip of Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture. One person died after falling from a ladder, while 22 others were hurt, two of them badly. The remainder were minor injuries.

According to the prefectural crisis management bureau, approximately 100 residents sought refuge in evacuation centers on Friday night. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, one injury was reported in the neighboring prefecture of Toyama.

Several houses were also damaged. Some homeowners put blue plastic tarps over damaged areas of their homes on Saturday morning, anticipating rain in the evening.

50 aftershocks of sufficient magnitude have been reported, including one of 5.8 magnitude quake on Friday night.

NHK public television presented footage showing a part of a slope that had crumbled and fallen on a house. It also aired a video shot by a staff member while visiting a cousin in Ishikawa prefecture, which showed a room shaking for over half a minute and picture frames rattling on the walls. This week in Japan, several national holidays are observed.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who arrived Friday night from a multilateral trip to Africa and Singapore, extended condolences to quake victims and encouraged locals to “exercise extreme caution” in the face of possible powerful aftershocks and subsequent mudslides.

East Japan Railway Co. stated that bullet trains between Tokyo and Kanazawa in Ishikawa prefecture were temporarily suspended for safety checks but have since resumed normal operations, albeit with considerable delays.

According to the Nuclear Regulation Authority, there were no anomalies at the area’s nuclear power stations.

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries on the planet. A major earthquake in the country’s northeast in 2011 triggered a disastrous tsunami and nuclear power plant meltdown.

SOURCE – (AP)