A series of earthquakes rocked Shimane and Tottori prefectures on Tuesday morning, beginning with a magnitude 6.2 shake at 10:18 a.m. measuring a strong 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale.
While official information on injuries or damage has not been released, NHK reported that four people were sent to hospitals and some buildings were damaged following the quake.
The epicenter of the initial quake, which occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, was recorded in eastern Shimane Prefecture, but shaking was felt across wide areas of western Japan, triggering early warning alerts on television broadcasts and mobile phones.
A seismic intensity level of strong 5 was recorded in Shimane’s Matsue and Yasugi, as well as in Tottori’s Sakaiminato, Hino and Kofu. There was no threat of a tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
As of 12:50 p.m., 12 quakes had followed the initial shake in the area, including a magnitude 5.1 temblor that measured a weak 5 on the intensity scale.
The JMA observed Level 4 long-period ground motion — the strongest designation — in western Tottori. This marked the first time a Level 4 alert was observed in the prefecture, and it was the first Level 4 issued since the powerful January 2024 quake on the Noto Peninsula. People in tall buildings or on large bridges are advised to be vigilant when facing long-period ground motion, which causes a prolonged back-and-forth shaking, the agency said.
The JMA also warned that quakes measuring strong 5 or higher could occur over the next week, and especially during the next two or three days.
“Seismic activity is still active in the area. There is a possibility that a quake larger than a strong 5 will occur, so please remain vigilant,” said Ayataka Ebita, a JMA official in charge of the earthquake and tsunami division.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government is assessing the extent of the damage and asked local residents to make necessary preparations for potential aftershakes of the same level.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that, as of 11 a.m., nuclear power plants in the region hadn’t been affected by the quake. Shimane Prefecture hosts a plant run by Chugoku Electric Power Co.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force said on X that it will conduct a damage assessment in the affected areas.
Due to a power outage resulting from the quake, JR West halted services on the Sanyo Shinkansen line between Hiroshima and Okayama stations. The line returned to normal operations at 1 p.m.
The series of early warning alarms and quakes jolted nerves in the region. News footage showed powerlines swaying and buildings shaking, while TV anchors reporting from the region wore hardhats.
In October 2000, a magnitude 7.3 quake in western Tottori reached strong 6 on the seismic intensity scale in the area.
Tuesday’s initial quake is the strongest to hit Japan so far this year. In December, Aomori Prefecture was struck by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake, causing a number of injuries. On Jan. 1, 2024, a magnitude 7.6 quake struck the Noto Peninsula, resulting in 698 deaths and causing widespread destruction.
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Staff writers Kanako Takahara and Gabriele Ninivaggi contributed to this report.