One person is feared dead after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck east of Kumamoto, Japan. Fifty others have been taken to local hospitals, according to Kyodo News.
The quake hit at 9:26 p.m. local time (12:26 GMT), 11 kilometers (7 miles) east of the city of Kumamoto. It had a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
An aftershock measuring 5.7 struck the region about 40 minutes after the quake, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a separate tremor measuring 5.9 struck a couple hours later.
After the first quake, Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, told reporters that the government intends “to do the utmost to grasp the situation,” adding that he was waiting to hear more details.
La classique scène de la pancarte d'un bureau de chaîne télé qui vibre. #Kumamoto pic.twitter.com/jiAwfUmqEp
— Thomas Bertrand (@ThomasKyoto) April 14, 2016
The 6.4 magnitude earthquake left behind damage to buildings, as well as a fire in the town of Mashiki.
Local police said they received reports that several people were trapped under collapsed houses, NHK reported. They also said that several traffic lights lost power after the quake.
#Earthquake #kumamoto #Japan pic.twitter.com/YombTZX2lw
— 永瀬リジ (@LidyNoShiranai) April 14, 2016
“Papers, files, flower vases and everything fell on the floor,” Kasumi Nakamura, an official in the village of Nishihara, located near the epicenter, said.
He said the rattling started small but then grew violent, lasting about 30 seconds.
The situation at the apartment building of a friend in #Kumamoto after M6.4 quake. pic.twitter.com/XHmA9wR9kB
— Kjeld Duits (@KjeldDuits) April 14, 2016
Some 16,000 households were left without electricity and 38,000 homes had no gas supplies, Reuters reported, citing Japanese media. Some high-speed trains were halted as a precaution.
熊本県のスーパーがヤバイ pic.twitter.com/AcGXqSiNZQ
— アリエッティ@EARTH.福岡3日5日 (@m_s_k_h) April 14, 2016
Meanwhile, Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no irregularities at three nuclear plants on the southernmost island of Kyushu and nearby Shikoku.
The USGS put the quake at a 6.0 magnitude.
震度7の地震があった熊本市内のブックオフの様子 pic.twitter.com/OtkJfCfkE1
— かいざー (@MECCYAEEYA) April 14, 2016
The Japan Meteorological Agency originally issued a tsunami warning, but later canceled it.
#BREAKING: @nhk newsroom in #Kumamoto #Japan shakes during the earthquake pic.twitter.com/aR3YvVaYIb
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) April 14, 2016
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