Earthquake measuring 5.6-magnitude hits Western Japan, five injured
A 5.6-magnitude quake hit western Japan early Monday, injuring five people and damaging buildings and roads, as officials warned stronger tremors could come in the days ahead. The tremor was gauged as magnitude 5.6 by the US Geological Survey and 6.1 by Japan's meteorological agency on the Richter scale. It rocked the west of the main island of Honshu, 96 kilometers north of Hiroshima.
Japanese agency urged residents to stay vigilant in coming weeks
The Japanese meteorological agency urged residents to stay vigilant. "We want the areas that experienced strong tremors to be on guard in the coming week against quakes that could be as powerful as the upper five," said agency official Toshiyuki Matsumori, referring to a Japanese seismic scale with a maximum intensity of seven. Strong aftershocks could continue for two to three days, said Matsumori.
What is an Upper Five?
An upper five on Japan's Shindo scale refers to tremors that make it difficult to walk without holding onto something.
Several strong tremors have already been felt: Matsumori
Matsumori said several strong tremors have already been felt in the region hit by the initial quake. Five people were hurt in the quake, including a 17-year-old boy who broke his leg after falling from his bed, but no life-threatening injuries were reported. Around 100 households lost water in Oda City, prompting troops to send trucks to set up makeshift water supply stations.
No problems caused at Shimane nuclear power station
Damage to some buildings and roads were also reported. However, no problems were reported at the nearby Shimane nuclear power station.
