powerful earthquake in central Japan; over 20 injured, 1 death
On Friday afternoon, a powerful earthquake struck central Japan, leaving over 20 people injured and at least one person dead. Over 50 aftershocks have been registered after the magnitude 6.2 earthquake that rocked Ishikawa prefecture on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu.
The majority of recorded casualties and damages occurred in Suzu City, located in Ishikawa Prefecture at the northern tip of the Noto Peninsula. After falling off a ladder, one person died, while 22 others—two critically—were hurt.
The remaining ones just had minor wounds. In the adjacent prefecture of Toyama, one injury was reported, and about 100 individuals sought shelter at evacuation centers.
In anticipation of rain that was predicted to start in the evening, some homeowners covered the damaged portions of their homes with blue plastic tarps. Several other homes were also damaged.
As locals be advised to exercise extreme caution in the event of powerful aftershocks and subsequent mudslides, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida offered his sympathies to the victims of the earthquake.
For safety inspections, East Japan Railway Co. briefly stopped running bullet trains between Tokyo and Kanazawa in the Ishikawa prefecture. With some delays, service has since resumed.
Nuclear power facilities in the region did not exhibit any anomalies. Japan is among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, as seen by the catastrophic 2011 tsunami and nuclear plant meltdown.
