A moderate earthquake struck eastern Japan, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, early Sunday, injuring at least 23 people, officials said. Most suffered minor injuries, and no tsunami warning was issued.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reported a preliminary magnitude of 5.9, with the epicenter in southern Ibaraki prefecture at a depth of about 70 kilometers (42 miles). The US Geological Survey measured the quake at 5.8, reports AP.
Authorities confirmed injuries in four prefectures: nine each in Saitama and Kanagawa, four in Chiba, and one in Ibaraki. Many victims were hurt after falling or colliding with furniture when startled awake. In Yokohama, an elderly woman sustained a serious hip injury after falling from her bed, according to the Yomiuri newspaper.
A 23‑year‑old man told the Asahi newspaper he felt a strong vertical jolt while shopping in Tokyo’s Taito district, moments after receiving an earthquake alert, and worried products might topple from shelves.
The tremor disrupted express train services linking Tokyo with Narita Airport and some local lines in northeastern areas, though Shinkansen bullet trains continued running, East Japan Railway Company said.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the formation of a government task force to assess damage. The quake triggered mobile phone alerts and caused significant shaking across Tokyo. NHK public television showed traffic flowing normally in nearby cities such as Mito and Saitama.
In Tokyo’s Koto Ward, an underground water pipe burst, flooding a roadway before crews repaired the leak. The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities were detected at nuclear power plants or facilities handling nuclear materials.
The quake comes a month after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto on Kyushu island, killing 38 people and injuring 364.
