A 9-year-old girl is among three people killed and dozens more have been injured after a powerful earthquake struck Osaka during the Monday morning commute, knocking over walls and setting off scattered fires.
The magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck shortly after 8am north of Osaka at a depth of about 13km (8 miles), the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The strongest shaking was north of Osaka, but the quake rattled large parts of western Japan, including Kyoto, the agency said.
One victim was a 9-year-old girl who was knocked down by a concrete wall at her primary school as she walked by. A man in his 80s died in the collapse of a concrete wall in Osaka city. An 84-year-old man in nearby Ibaraki died after a bookshelf fell on top of him at home, according to city officials.
The quake knocked over walls, broke windows and set off scattered building fires. It toppled book shelves in homes and scattered goods on shop floors. It also cracked roads and broke water pipes, leaving homes without water.
The morning commute was disrupted, as dozens of domestic flights in and out of Osaka were grounded, while train and subway service in the Osaka area including the bullet train were suspended to check for damage. Passengers were seen exiting trains on the tracks between stations.
AP
