Earthquake rattles Tokyo
JAPAN: A 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on Monday, setting
buildings in the capital swaying but causing no risk of a tsunami,
seismologists said.
National broadcaster NHK said no abnormalities were detected at
nuclear power plants near the epicentre, which was north of Tokyo, where
buildings rocked for upwards of half a minute. The US Geological Survey
said the quake had hit at 16:23 (0723 GMT), with its epicentre 57
kilometres (36 miles) north-northeast of Maebashi and around 143
kilometres north-northwest of Tokyo.
The agency said it had struck at a depth of nine kilometres. The
Japan Meteorological Agency, which had earlier put the magnitude at 6.2,
said minor aftershocks were continuing. Takayuki Fukuda, an official at
the Nikko city fire department in Tochigi prefecture, near the epicentre,
told AFP by telephone that the quake had rocked the city, a popular spot
on the tourist trail.
"It shook vertically for about 10 seconds. Nothing fell from shelves
and window glass was not shattered. There was no report of fire and we
are preparing to patrol the city," he said.
Preliminary reports that a wall in the city had tumbled proved false,
he said later, adding:
AFP
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