A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake has hit Japan’s western prefecture Ishikawa, with reports of injuries and collapsed buildings.
The quake struck at 2.42pm (6.42am UK time) today at a depth of 10km and authorities confirmed there are no threats of a tsunami.
The Meteorological Agency warned of sea level changes less than 20cm.
According to the agency the magnitude level makes it ‘impossible to remain standing or move without crawling’.
It warned of possible aftershocks or quakes of around strong magnitude 6 over the next week.
Police in the city of Suzu – near the quake’s epicentre – confirmed they had responded to injuries and collapsed buildings.
News agency NHK reported one man fell off a ladder while the fire department in Suzu said two buildings collapsed with two people inside.
The quake occurred on the northern tip of Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula, 300km northwest of Tokyo.
A strong 6 is the second highest level on Japan’s intensity scale, known as the shindo.
– The powerful quake struck central Japan on May 5, forcing a brief suspension of bullet train services,
Chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno warned at a news conference the area could be hit by further quakes of similar strength.
‘We will continue to assess the extent of the damage and, in close cooperation with local authorities, will do our best to implement emergency-disaster measures,’ Mr Matsuno said.
There are no reports of damage to electricity, water supply or gas services, Mr Matsuno confirmed.
He urged people to pay attention to evacuation information announced by local authorities and announcements on television and radio.
The quake has led to the suspension of some train lines, including the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and Kanazawa stations.
Parts of the section have now resumed service.
An aftershock measuring shindo 4 followed soon after the initial quake.
No damage has been reported at the nearby Shika nuclear power plant or the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant.
