A powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 6.7 has struck off the coast of the Japanese region of Miyagi, north of Tokyo, prompting the government to issue emergency warnings to people in five prefectures.
The Japanese authorities rated Friday’s earthquake a five on its 1-7 intensity scale, but said there was no immediate risk of a tsunami.
A high speed railway line between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations was suspended following the quake, according to operator JR East, but there has been no immediate reports of injuries or damage, according to reports in the Japan Times.
The focus of the 8.22pm (local time) quake was off the coast of Miyagi prefecture.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake’s epicentre was 50km east of the town of city of Ofunato and revised the magnitude of the quake from 6.6 to 6.7.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake had relatively large depth of around 50 kilometres.
In the cities of Tome, Osaki and Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture, the earthquake also registered a lower 5 on the Japanese scale, Japan Times reported. The new site added that areas of Miyagi and Iwate prefectures also saw the quake register a 4 on the Japanese scale.
It comes after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck north eastern and northern Japan on April 20, sparking the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to forecast imminent tsunami waves for parts of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate prefectures.
At least 33 people were injured in the earthquake in April, with waves reaching up to 70cm seen in several coastal communities. More than 170,000 people were advised to evacuate across several prefectures when the tsunami warnings and advisories were initially issued, but these were later lifted.
Following the last earthquake the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) warned travellers in Japan there was “an increased risk of strong earthquakes occurring in the coming week.”
General FCDO safety advice for Japan warns that the country sits “in a major earthquake zone”.
Travellers are told to “take note of instructions in hotel rooms and at train stations and follow the advice of local authorities” in the event of a disaster.
