A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck an area near Tokyo early Sunday, injuring at least 37 people and disrupting traffic in the sprawling metropolitan area, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
اضافة اعلان
The earthquake caused strong shaking in the Japanese capital and surrounding areas, prompting authorities to issue warnings and activate emergency sirens in the streets, as well as send alerts to smartphones in affected areas.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake struck the southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo, at around 2 a.m. local time (5 p.m. GMT Saturday).
The agency said there was no risk of a tsunami, noting that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 68 kilometers.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the earthquake’s magnitude at 5.8.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported at least 37 injuries, most of them minor.
The most serious case involved a woman in her 80s in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, who fell and injured her hip while attempting to get out of bed following the earthquake, according to media reports.
The earthquake, which occurred late Saturday night, disrupted train services in Tokyo, according to East Japan Railway Company.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said minor damage was reported to a building in Saitama, north of Tokyo.
Authorities are investigating whether a burst main water pipe in one of the capital’s neighborhoods was linked to the earthquake, according to Kyodo News.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of an increased risk of landslides in the area, as well as the possibility of strong aftershocks in the coming days.
