Several injured in the M5.2 earthquake that occurred before dawn in eastern Japan and Tokyo

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An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.2 struck eastern Japan early Thursday, including Chiba Prefecture and downtown Tokyo, injuring several people, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency and local authorities.

The 4:16 a.m. earthquake registered 5 highest on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Kisarazu and 5 lower in Kimitsu, both in Chiba Prefecture, and 4 in areas including the Chiyoda and Shinagawa wards of Tokyo, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. No tsunami warning was issued.

The agency defines a Level 5 upper as a situation in which many people find it difficult to walk. It was the first time since March 2012 that Chiba Prefecture was hit by a magnitude 5 earthquake, according to the agency.

The agency warned of the possibility of earthquakes of a similar scale for about a week.

Roof tiles are scattered on the ground in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, after an earthquake occurred before dawn on May 11, 2023 (Kyodo)

The quake had a magnitude of 4 in Mihama Ward in Chiba City and some areas in Yokohama and Kawasaki, both south of Tokyo.

Two women were slightly injured in Chiba Prefecture and two other people were injured in neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture, including a man who was hit by a light falling through the ceiling while he was sleeping. There were no immediate reports of casualties in Tokyo.

Some East Japan Railway services that pass through Chiba Prefecture, including the Uchibo and Sotobo lines, have been canceled or delayed.

Japan Meteorological Agency.

In Kisarazu, roof tiles were dislodged and scattered on the floor.

Dozens of elevators, mostly in high-rise buildings in Tokyo, and in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures, stopped automatically due to the quake, and maintenance staff manually restarted them.

But no one has been reported trapped inside, according to elevator manufacturer and maintenance company Elevator Systems Co.

The earthquake originated in southern Chiba Prefecture at a depth of about 40 kilometers. The agency initially reported a strength of 5.4 but later revised it to a 5.2.

A cracked chart of train fares is pictured at JR Kisarazu Station, Chiba Prefecture, after a predawn earthquake on May 11, 2023 (Kyodo)

A train suspension announcement is displayed at JR Kisarazu Station, Chiba Prefecture, after an earthquake occurred before dawn on May 11, 2023 (Kyodo)

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