AICHI - A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early on November 8th, registering an upper 5 on Japan's seismic intensity scale in Aichi Prefecture and injuring at least 21 people, while damaging buildings and disrupting Shinkansen and conventional railway services across the region.
The earthquake occurred at around 1:04 a.m., with its epicenter in western Shizuoka Prefecture at a depth of 41 kilometers, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The magnitude was reported as a provisional estimate, and shaking was felt across a wide area stretching from the Kanto region to Shikoku.
The strongest shaking, measuring an upper 5 on Japan's seven-level seismic intensity scale, was recorded in Chita City, Aichi Prefecture. It was the first time in nearly 30 years that an earthquake of this intensity or greater had been recorded in the prefecture.
At least 21 people were injured across Aichi. In Tokoname City, a woman in her 50s fractured her ankle after falling on the stairs of her home while attempting to evacuate.
In Toyohashi City, where the earthquake registered an intensity of 4, a large showroom window at a foreign automobile dealership shattered, leaving broken glass scattered across the area outside the building.
In Toyota City, numerous books were thrown from shelves on the second floor of a bookstore, covering much of the floor and illustrating the force of the shaking.
Rail services were also affected across central Japan. The Tokaido Shinkansen was operating at reduced speeds between Shizuoka and Gifu-Hashima stations, causing delays, while JR conventional railway lines and services operated by Meitetsu were suspended across extensive sections of the network as operators conducted safety inspections.
The JMA held an emergency press conference shortly after 3 a.m. on November 8th, warning residents in areas that experienced strong shaking to remain alert for further earthquakes over approximately the next week.
Ayaki Ebita, a senior official in the agency's Earthquake and Volcanic Department, warned that the earthquake had increased the risk of falling rocks and landslides in affected areas.
"In areas that experienced strong shaking, the risk of falling rocks and landslides has increased, so we ask residents to pay close attention to future seismic activity and rainfall conditions," Ebita said.
The agency cautioned that earthquakes producing shaking of around upper 5 intensity could occur during the coming week, with the risk particularly elevated over the next two to three days.
According to the JMA, the last time Aichi Prefecture recorded shaking of upper 5 or greater was on March 16th, 1997, when a magnitude 5.9 earthquake centered in eastern Aichi produced upper 5 intensity in the Mukaiyama district of Toyohashi City.
The latest earthquake occurred within the area identified as the anticipated source region of a major Nankai Trough earthquake, raising questions about whether it could be connected to the larger seismic threat facing Japan's Pacific coast.
However, the JMA explained that the earthquake occurred within a tectonic plate rather than along the plate boundary responsible for generating the massive earthquakes associated with the Nankai Trough.
The agency also said observations had not revealed any notable changes in the condition of the tectonic plates that would suggest an increased likelihood of a major earthquake.
The JMA said it would continue monitoring seismic activity and movements in the Earth's crust while urging residents to remain vigilant for additional strong earthquakes, particularly in areas where the initial shaking may have destabilized slopes and other vulnerable terrain.
Source: TBS
