ISLAMABAD, Jan 6 (APP): A series of strong earthquakes, including the initial one with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4, rattled the western Japan prefectures of Shimane and Tottori on Tuesday, though no tsunami warning was issued, according to the country’s weather agency.
The Japan Meteorological Agency called for caution, warning that seismic activity remains brisk and that earthquakes of a similar scale could occur for a week.
“There is precedent in the area around this epicenter where quakes of a similar scale have occurred in succession after a major quake,” Ayataka Ebita, chief of the agency’s Earthquake and Tsunami Observation Division, warned at a press conference.
The 10:18 a.m. quake, whose preliminary magnitude was revised from the initially reported 6.2, struck eastern Shimane Prefecture at a depth of 11 kilometers, measuring upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7. It was followed by a series of further temblors at short intervals, including an M5.1 quake at 10:28 a.m. and an M5.4 one at 10:37 a.m.
There had been no reports of injury or property damage in Tottori Prefecture as of 11 a.m., according to the local government.
It was the first quake registering an upper 5 or higher on the seismic intensity scale to hit the area since a lower 6 one struck Tottori Prefecture in October 2016 and an upper 5 one shook Shimane Prefecture in April 2018, according to the agency.
A liaison office was set up at the prime minister’s office, with the premier, Sanae Takaichi, telling reporters the government will continue to do everything possible to respond.
No abnormalities were detected at the Shimane nuclear power plant in Matsue after the first quake, operator Chugoku Electric Power Co. said.
Bullet train services in western Japan were temporarily halted due to a power outage after the initial earthquake, railway operator JR West said.
Sanyo Shinkansen Line services were suspended between Okayama and Hiroshima stations but resumed at around 1 p.m., according to JR West.
West Nippon Expressway Co. said a section of the Yonago Expressway between Hiruzen and Yonago and one on the Sanin Expressway between Yonago-Nishi and Yasugi were suspended due to the earthquakes.