Japan has been hit by an earthquake of 5.7 magnitude, with the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) saying the latest quake was at a depth of 31 km.
The latest tremor struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island, EMSC said.
The agency had earlier put the magnitude at 6.5 with a depth of 57 km, and said that it was in the Hokkaido region in the north of the country, but later revised the intensity and depth.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties after the quake.
This follows a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake tremor shaking Japan a day earlier, triggering warnings of a megaquake that could follow, as per the country’s weather agency.
Also Read: Megaquake warning issued after 7.5 tremor rocks Japan
While most schools in northeastern and northern Japan reopened on Wednesday, the megaquake warning remains in place, with students asked to be ready for immediate evacuation for at least a week.
Authorities have urged people living near the Pacific coast – approximately 800 miles from Japan’s northeastern coast from Chiba to Hokkaido – to remain vigilant in the coming days, and prepare for urgent evacuation should the need arise to flee their homes.
Monday night’s earthquake, roughly 50 miles off the coast of Aomori, injured at least 51 people, seven of them severely, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Eleven of them were from Hokkaido, Eleven of them are from Hokkaido, 36 from Aomori, and four from Iwate prefecture.
The quake also triggered widespread tsunami warnings, with waves of up to 70 cm reported in several coastal communities.
Although all alerts were later lifted, authorities conducted thorough checks of nuclear power plants across northeastern Japan, affirming no impact was showing.
Tuesday’s notice was the first time this top-tier alert has been issued since the warning system was launched in 2022.
Follow us
