On the morning of this Thursday, Japan was shaken by an earthquake that left at least three injured. The earthquake, of magnitude 5.4 on the Richter scale, had a depth of 40 km, which caused it to be felt more intensely. In addition, another earthquake, of magnitude 7.6, was also recorded in Tonga.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the quake occurred at 4:16 am local time. The epicenter was located in the city of Kisarazu, in Chiba prefecture.
The Chiba Prefectural Fire Department reported that two women were injured as a result of the earthquake, while a third person suffered a fall at his home in Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture. Although there were delays on the train lines, no significant technical damage was reported from the strong quake.
Authorities also reported delays to train lines, although no significant technical damage was reported from the quake. Japan is in a region prone to seismic activity, as it sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where tectonic plates often interact and generate earthquakes.
In addition to the earthquake in Japan, another earthquake was registered in Tonga on Thursday morning. With a magnitude of 7.6, the tremor occurred approximately 100 kilometers from the remote volcanic island of Niuatoputapu, with a depth of 210 km. So far, no injuries or property damage have been reported.
Gary Vite of the Tonga Weather Service said: “We got calls early in the morning from people who felt the shaking, but we haven’t had any reports of damage.” In addition, the United States Geological Survey also indicated that there is no risk of a tsunami.
It should be noted that both Japan and Tonga are located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where tectonic plates tend to shift and cause seismic activity.