An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 hit off Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido, on Saturday (February 25). No tsunami warning was issued, said authorities, as per Reuters.
The Japan Meteorological Agency also said that it mainly rattled the eastern part of Hokkaido at 10:27 pm (local time), as per media reports. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to infrastructure. The Japanese weather agency also said that the quake was recorded at the depth of 60 km in the Pacific Ocean off Kushiro and shook a wider region including northeastern Japan and the eastern part of the country.
Meanwhile, an expert speaking to the public broadcaster NHK warned that citizens need to be against quakes for at least a week, reported AFP. The quake registered “lower than 5” on Japan’s 7-point intensity scale, as per the Japan Meteorological Agency, which is usually the level at which items fall out of shelves and unsecured furniture may move. Notably, the intensity scale measures ground motion.
Earthquakes are common in the country that sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” which causes an arc of intense seismic activity across Japan. Furthermore, the country is also situated at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year. Therefore, Tokyo has strict construction regulations to make sure that the buildings can withstand strong earthquakes.
(With inputs from agencies)
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