Japan Earthquake Hits Osaka, Causing Several Casualties, Tsunami Not Expected [Photos]
Update (2.30 a.m. EDT) - An Ibaraki city official confirmed that three people were killed in the incident. Local authorities csaid that at least 91 people were injured. Train services are back on track after safety checks, Xinhua news agency reported.
Original story:
A powerful earthquake — estimated magnitude-6.1 — struck the Osaka region in Western Japan at 7.58 a.m. local time Monday morning (7 p.m. EDT Sunday), leaving at least two people dead and several injured, Mainichi reported.
Following the quake, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga warned of possible aftershocks in the coming days but no tsunami warning was issued. A landslide warning was also issued by the weather agency.
According to the Osaka Prefectural Government, a 9-year-old girl died after being struck by a collapsing wall and an 81-year-old man was killed after he was crushed by a bookshelf at his home, Japan Times reported.
Japan does not confirm deaths until a formal examination at a hospital.
According to Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency, 41 people were injured and there were reports of multiple fires in the region, Yorkton This Week reported. Several train and subway service in the Osaka area including bullet trains were suspended due to the quake.
Two people were trapped in an elevator at a train station in Yamatokoriyama and many were believed to be stuck in apartment building elevators, said local police and rescuers.
Regional Utility Kansai Electric Power Co said 170,000 homes were without power as of 9:50 a.m (8.50 p.m. EDT), however, nuclear plants in Fukui Prefecture were operating normally. Gas supply to 108,000 households was stopped by Oska Gas.
Companies like Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Daihatsu Motor Co. factories also halted production lines. Universal Studios Japan said it had stopped its 10 a.m. entry ( 9 p.m. EDT) and will decide whether to resume operations after confirming safety.
"I'm in northern Osaka and pretty strong shake here," a resident said, Channel News Asia reported.
"My apartment is kind of thrashed, but structurally intact. Power is on. All my refrigerator contents are on the floor,” another resident commented.
Kate Kilpatrick, who was staying in a hotel in Osaka, said, “It was so terrifying because this is my first earthquake. I thought it was a nightmare because I was so confused. The whole world was aggressively shaking,” adding that they woke up abruptly from sleep.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government’s top priority was the safety of residents and it was assessing damage, Reuters reported.
The intensity of the earthquake hit an upper 5 in the southern area of Kyoto Prefecture, while parts of Shiga, Hyogo and Nara prefectures experienced a lower 5, Japan Meteorological Agency said. According to the agency, it is difficult to remain standing with an intensity of lower 6 and unsecured furniture may topple over.
The earthquake is believed to have triggered high-intensity tremors because of its shallow epicentre, although the magnitude was relatively lesser.
On Sunday, a 4.6 magnitude quake struck southern Gunma region, north of Tokyo and a 4.5 magnitude quake hit Chiba, near Tokyo, on Saturday.
In March 2011, a massive magnitude 9.0 quake hit northeastern Japan, killing 18,000 people and triggering a massive tsunami.
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