6.2 magnitude earthquake hits northern Japan, no Tsunami threat, say authorities

TOKYO: A strong earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale was felt early Monday morning in parts of northern Japan. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The Japan Meteorological Agency said no tsunami warning was issued and there is no immediate threat to coastal areas.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the quake was located about 18 km west of Sarabetsu, a small town on Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island. The earthquake comes about a week after a stronger quake measuring 7.7, which had raised concerns about the possibility of another major tremor in northeastern regions. Reports from NHK said that thousands of people had already been moved to safer locations from port cities such as Ochi and Kamaishi as a precaution.

Earlier visuals showed ships being moved from Hachinohe port in Hokkaido due to tsunami risk warnings. Authorities had advised people to stay away from coastal areas as waves of up to three meters were initially feared.

The earthquake registered an intensity of “Upper 5” on Japan’s seismic intensity scale. At this level, people may find it difficult to move, and concrete walls can crack. Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, and tremors of varying intensity are common across its islands.