A moderate earthquake struck eastern Japan early Sunday, shaking Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures and injuring at least 37 people. Most of the injuries were reported to be minor, while authorities confirmed that there was no tsunami threat.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9, with its epicenter in southern Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of about 70 kilometers. The US Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 5.8.
37 Injured Across Five Prefectures
The injuries were reported in five prefectures. Tokyo recorded 15 injuries, followed by nine in Saitama, eight in Kanagawa, four in Chiba and one in Ibaraki.
Officials said many people were injured after suddenly waking up during the shaking and falling or hitting furniture and doors while trying to move to safety. An elderly woman in her 80s reportedly suffered a serious hip injury after falling from her bed in Yokohama.
The earthquake also disrupted transportation in parts of the region. Some express and local train services experienced delays, including services connecting Tokyo with Narita Airport. However, Shinkansen bullet trains continued to operate normally.
A young man shopping in Tokyo’s Taito district said he felt a strong vertical jolt shortly after receiving an earthquake alert. He feared that products could fall from shelves as the building shook.
Japanese authorities are continuing to monitor the situation following the earthquake.
