A strong earthquake hits Japan, killing one person and injuring 13

[ad_1]

A strong, shallow earthquake struck central Japan on Friday afternoon, killing at least one person and injuring 13, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The US Geological Survey said the 6.2-magnitude quake struck Ishikawa Prefecture on the west coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu. The Japan Meteorological Agency measured the quake at a magnitude of 6.5 and said the epicenter was at a depth of about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles).

A city official said that one person was killed and at least 13 injured in the city of Suzu on the northern tip of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture. He said that six houses were damaged and that the rains may cause mudslides causing further damage.

It did not say how the person died, but the Fire and Disaster Management Agency stated that a person was found without vital signs after falling from a ladder. She added that another person was injured when a cupboard fell on them, and two people were rescued from damaged buildings in the city.

A video broadcast by public broadcaster NHK showed a section of a hill collapsed and fell on a house. It also broadcast a video taken by a reporter who was visiting his family in Ishikawa Prefecture, which showed a room shaking for about half a minute, and photo frames flying on the walls. This week Japan celebrates many national holidays.

Government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said there were reports of other buildings damaged, but details were still confirmed. He said that there were no reports of damage to two nuclear plants in the region.

East Japan Railways said bullet trains connecting Tokyo and Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture had been temporarily halted for safety checks but had resumed normal operations, with some delays.

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. The 2011 earthquake in the northeast of the country caused a devastating tsunami and a nuclear plant meltdown.

[ad_2]