An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale hit off the coast of Honshu island, which houses Japan’s capital, Tokyo, early this Friday morning. According to Russia’s “RIA Novosti” news agency, there have been no reports of damages or casualties. Additionally, the Japanese authorities have not issued any tsunami warnings in the aftermath of the quake.
Media outlets have detailed the seismic event, reiterating that no significant harm or victims have been reported. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stated that the quake occurred at 01:48 AM Cairo time, approximately 115 kilometers east of the village “Yamada”.
To provide some historical context, in March 2011, Japan experienced a devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake off its northeastern coast, resulting in roughly 18,500 individuals either deceased or missing, as reported by “Sky News”.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre previously noted that the epicenter of today’s earthquake was located around 183 kilometers east of the city of “Morioka” and 115 kilometers east of “Maiko”.
Earlier this month, on August 11th, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake shook Hokkaido in Japan. The German Research Centre for Geosciences revealed the tremor was at a depth of 46 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface, as mentioned by “Sky News”.
Additionally, last May 5th, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 10 kilometers rattled the “Ishikawa” region in western Japan. Thankfully, no tsunami warnings, known locally as “tsunami,” were issued, as reported by the “Al Arabiya” news channel.
Days ago, as Hurricane Hilary bore down on Southern California, residents felt the ground shake beneath them with a 5.1 magnitude earthquake. The earthquake’s origin was to the northwest of Los Angeles.
Amidst the chaos, the term “#hurriquake” began trending online. Fortunately, both the quake and the storm, which later degraded to a post-tropical cyclone, caused minimal damage.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated that more than 100 fire stations were active, assessing potential damage to buildings. She later tweeted reassuringly, noting no significant structural damage or injuries.
Seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones informed NBC News about the uniqueness of this earthquake’s location near Ojai, noting it was the first of its kind since 1932 within the Ventura basin. She advised residents to brace for potential aftershocks in the coming days.
The concurrent timing of the earthquake and post-tropical cyclone Hilary created a moment of panic among residents.
BBC News correspondent Regan Morris recounted her experience during the quake, highlighting the alarm of her neighbor and the evident panic in her surroundings. Footage from a local supermarket captured the tense moments, with products tumbling off shelves and patrons hurrying for safety.
