A strong earthquake hits Yamanashi and Kanagawa amid fears of landslides

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake shook Yamanashi and surrounding prefectures, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, on Friday evening, causing damage to some buildings and triggering at least one landslide.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), there has been no change in monitoring data for Mount Fuji, located about 30 kilometers from the epicenter, and there is no threat of an immediate eruption.

The earthquake occurred at 10:29 pm at a depth of 20 km. It recorded a score below 6 on Japan’s 7-point Shindo scale in Fujikawaguchiko City in Yamanashi Prefecture, above 5 in Otsuki City, and below 5 in some areas of Shizuoka and Kanagawa Prefectures. According to the JMA, a low 6 makes it difficult to stand, and loose furniture may fall. There was no threat of a tsunami.

The quake injured five people in Yamanashi Prefecture and injured one person in Kanagawa Prefecture, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who spoke at an emergency news conference at 12:40 a.m., citing data up to 12:10 a.m.

Nearly 2,860 households in Yamanashi, Saitama and Ibaraki prefectures experienced power outages following the quake, and a partial water outage also occurred in Yamanakako Village in Yamanashi Prefecture, although details are still being confirmed.

As of 11:25 p.m., authorities had received 24 emergency calls, including those related to collapsed walls and traffic signal malfunctions.

In an emergency news conference at 12:40 a.m. on Saturday, Ayataka Ebita, head of the JMA’s Earthquake and Tsunami Monitoring Department, warned that in the week following a large earthquake, there is a 10% to 20% chance of another large earthquake in the same area, especially in the following two or three days.

He urged residents of areas that witnessed strong tremors to be careful, especially those in areas prone to landslides, especially with two tropical storms approaching the main island of Honshu.

According to the JMA, those affected by the quake experienced prolonged ground motion of the first magnitude, the lowest on the agency’s scale. Long-term ground motion is characterized by slow and prolonged shaking, which particularly affects high-rise buildings. In Grade 1, hanging objects begin to sway and most people in tall buildings can feel the sway.

Authorities in Yamanashi Prefecture advised people to be careful to avoid potential dangers due to damaged buildings or roads that cannot yet be repaired due to bad weather conditions and lack of daylight.

NHK reported that a landslide occurred in the town of Nakai, Kanagawa Prefecture, and officials are assessing the situation. Another report said that a concrete wall collapsed in Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture, but no injuries were reported. In the city of Kofu, the prefectural capital, footage showed damage to a building and authorities directing pedestrians to avoid falling debris.

This is the first time Yamanashi Prefecture has experienced a Shindo 6 magnitude earthquake in more than 100 years, the last time being in 1924 when a major earthquake struck western Kanagawa Prefecture. According to Ebeta, earthquakes of Shindo magnitude 5 and above occur in the Yamanashi region about once every 10 years.

While several earthquakes occurred last week, with strong tremors felt in both Iwate and Chiba prefectures, Ebita stressed that they are “geographically distant” and unrelated.

As of 12:40 a.m., portions of four highways were closed. The Tokaido Shinkansen service between Toyohashi and Tokyo stations in the Tokyo-bound direction and between Tokyo and Nagoya in the outbound direction was suspended, but services resumed at 1:17 a.m., Central Japan Railway reported. JR East Shinkansen services were suspended and delayed until Saturday morning, but as of 1:08 a.m., all services had resumed normal operations.

Other JR rail services that were already experiencing delays and suspensions due to tropical storms also reported delays caused by the earthquake.

Chubu Electric Power Co. said shortly after 11 p.m. that no malfunction had been identified at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Omaizaki City, Shizuoka Prefecture, or in nearby radiation monitors, according to media reports.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaishi spoke briefly with reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office shortly after 11 p.m. The Prime Minister confirmed that the government had established a crisis management center to assess the effects of the earthquake and coordinate any necessary response, and that a more detailed report would be received soon.

Takaishi also warned residents of areas that witnessed strong tremors of the need to remain alert in anticipation of more large earthquakes.

“I have directed that the government do everything in its power to respond to this disaster,” she said. “Human life is our top priority.”

More information:

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos