Powerful earthquake jolts Tokyo; no tsunami warning issued
By Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Julia Mio Inuma,
AP AP
FUKUOKA, Japan — A powerful earthquake jolted the greater Tokyo area Thursday, disrupting transit lines in central Tokyo and causing power outages in some parts of the city.
The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9, began at 10:41 p.m. and lasted longer than 30 seconds, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. There was no tsunami threat issued, but Japanese officials predicted aftershocks.
There was no major damage reported immediately after the quake. The prime minister’s office has designated a task force to assess the situation, officials said. The quake’s magnitude was initially set at 6.1, but was later revised.
Officials said Thursday’s earthquake was the first time central Tokyo and Saitama, a city northwest of Tokyo, had recorded a major seismic event since the devastating quake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown in March 2011.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the eastern outskirts of Tokyo, at a depth of about 80 kilometers (50 miles), the agency said.
Local and social media posts showed chaotic scenes in Tokyo, which recently reopened to nightlife after a coronavirus state of emergency was lifted last week.
Authorities received reports of at least one serious injury and 16 minor injuries but no major damage, said Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Hirokazu Matsuno. There were many reports of ruptured water pipes. Nuclear facilities around Tokyo reported no damage.
Some Tokyo residents were left scrambling to find new transportation options after train service was suspended, according to local media reports. The trains resumed operation more than two hours after the quake. One train derailed after making an emergency stop, injuring at least three people, broadcaster NHK reported.
Elevators halted automatically during the earthquake as an emergency response measure. Local officials conducted sweeps at buildings throughout Tokyo to check for anyone stuck in an elevator, local reports said.
A resident posted videos of water flowing down the streets of the Meguro district in Tokyo, possibly due to a burst pipe. Another Tokyo resident posted a video of bath water sloshing in a tub during the quake.
