An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale struck Japan’s Hokkaido on Tuesday. This is the second earthquake of the same magnitude to have occurred in the region in over a month.
An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck Japan’s Hokkaido on Tuesday afternoon.
By India Today World Desk: An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck Japan’s Hokkaido on Tuesday.
The quake hit at 6:18 pm (0918 GMT) at a depth of 20 kilometres (12 miles), according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Although a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter scale is said to cause damage in very populated areas, Japanese media outlets have so far not carried any reports of damage or injuries. No tsunami warning has been issued so far.
This is the second earthquake to have struck Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido in over a month. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 hit off the eastern part of Hokkaido on February 25.
Earlier this month, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale struck the east of the Fukushima prefecture, the same area that suffered Japan’s biggest quake 11 years ago, just before midnight on March 16, reported Reuters. The earthquake killed two people and left thousands of homes without water and power.
On January 21 this year, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 jolted southwestern Japan, injuring 13 people. No tsunami warning was issued after the quake struck with an epicentre 45 km (30 miles) deep off the coast of Kyushu, reported Reuters.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, which sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
The country has strict construction regulations intended to ensure buildings can withstand strong earthquakes, and emergency drills are routinely held to prepare for a major jolt.