6.1-magnitude earthquake hits Tokyo, causing power outages but no tsunami warning

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TOKYO (Reuters) – A strong earthquake with an initial magnitude of 6.1 shook Tokyo and surrounding areas late on Thursday, bringing train lines to a standstill and causing intermittent power outages, but there were no reports of major damage, NHK said. .

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake, which occurred at 10:41 pm (1341 GMT), registered “the strongest 5” on the Japanese intensity scale, a level that could cause some damage to buildings and power outages.

The epicenter of the earthquake was in Chiba Prefecture, east of the capital, Tokyo. There was no risk of a tsunami from the earthquake, according to NHK.

The government has set up an emergency response task force.

NHK showed new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida rushing to his office. He told reporters that he had instructed the task force to “know the latest developments and coordinate with local authorities on rescuing disaster victims” and provide information to the public quickly.

Several minutes ago, Kishida tweeted: “Take action to protect your lives while confirming the latest information.”

NHK said four people were injured in Chiba and flames showed up in a two-story building in neighboring Saitama Prefecture. TBS private broadcaster reported on accidents of burst water pipes in Tokyo. Tokyo Electric Power Corporation has reported 250 blackouts in the city.

NHK said many train and subway lines in Tokyo and Chiba that initially grounded their trains have since resumed operations.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, which is one of the world’s most seismically active regions. The country accounts for about 20% of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

On March 11, 2011, the northeastern coast was hit by a 9-magnitude earthquake, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan, and a massive tsunami. These events severely damaged the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing the world’s worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl a quarter of a century ago.

(Reporting by Hideyuki Sano, Tokyo Newsroom, Editing by Mark Heinrich)

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