A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Tokyo early Sunday (August 23), injuring at least 37 people and disrupting transport services across the metropolitan area.
The earthquake struck southern Ibaraki Prefecture near Tokyo at around 2.00 a.m. local time, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The quake occurred at a depth of 68 kilometres, and there was no tsunami threat.
The US Geological Survey estimated the earthquake at magnitude 5.8.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that at least 37 people suffered minor injuries. The most serious reported case involved a woman in her 80s in Yokohama who fell and injured her hip while attempting to get out of bed following the earthquake.
The strong shaking triggered public warnings, street sirens and emergency alerts on mobile phones in affected areas.
Regional train services in Tokyo were disrupted on Sunday morning. A building in Saitama, north of Tokyo, also sustained minor damage, while authorities were investigating whether a ruptured water main in Tokyo was connected to the earthquake.
The weather agency warned of an increased risk of landslides because heavy rainfall had affected the region on Saturday and may have loosened the soil.
Authorities also warned residents to remain alert for potentially strong aftershocks in the coming days.
