A strong earthquake strikes near Japan

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Japanese media reported that a man was killed and buildings collapsed after a strong earthquake struck near the country’s central-western coast early Friday.

The USGS says the 6.2-magnitude quake occurred at 2:42 p.m. JST about 50 kilometers off the coast of Anamizu in Ishikawa Prefecture, at a depth of 8.7 kilometers.

A report from the Japan Meteorological Agency – which monitors earthquakes in the area – differs slightly, saying that the epicenter was on the ground near Noto in Ishikawa Prefecture, and recorded a magnitude 6.3 quake at a depth of 10 km.

Japanese media reported, citing local police, that a man died in the city of Suzu, near the epicenter, when he fell from a ladder during the quake. The Japan Times, citing local fire officials, reported that three houses collapsed and at least one person was trapped in the rubble.

At a press conference on Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said no tsunami warning had been issued and no anomalies were reported at the Shika Nuclear Power Plant near the epicenter or at other nuclear power plants.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported several smaller quakes after the initial quake and said that other, larger quakes closer to magnitude 6 could be possible next week.

Earthquakes are very common in Japan. In 2011, a massive earthquake in the northeast of the country triggered a devastating tsunami and a nuclear plant meltdown.

Some information about this report was provided by the Associated Press, Reuters and the French news agency Agence France-Presse.

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