6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan, No Tsunami Warning Issued

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported a strong magnitude earthquake that jolted Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan today at a depth of 6 miles at 2:42 pm.

A powerful magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan on Friday afternoon, causing injuries and collapsed buildings. 

The earthquake measured a strong 6 on Japan’s intensity scale and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers. 

The quake’s epicenter was near the city of Suzu, where local police were responding to reports of injuries and collapsed buildings. 

One man who fell off a ladder was showing no vital signs, and two people were reported trapped in the collapsed buildings. 

The quake led to the suspension of some train lines, including the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and Kanazawa stations, but the shinkansen later resumed service. 

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings and Hokuriku Electric Power reported no damage or problems at their nuclear power plants in Niigata and Ishikawa prefectures, respectively.

The Meteorological Agency said that while there was no threat of a tsunami, sea level changes of less than 20 cm were possible. 

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno held an emergency news conference, calling on citizens to pay close attention to evacuation information announced by local authorities and information on television, radio, and the internet. He also warned that the area could be hit by aftershocks of a similar strength.

Strong earthquakes are not uncommon in Japan, which is located on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. 

Japan’s strict building codes and early warning system have helped minimize damage and loss of life in past earthquakes, but the strong shaking from this earthquake could make it difficult to remain standing or move without crawling. 

The government is working to respond to the earthquake, assessing the extent of the damage and implementing emergency-disaster measures in close cooperation with local authorities.

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