Central Japan earthquake: JMA puts magnitude at 5.7, local media report at least 22 injured

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early on Sunday, 8 November, shattering shop windows and injuring at least 22 people, according to local media cited by DNA India and The Sunday Guardian. This piece is as of the evening of 8 November.

The quake

The JMA said the quake struck at about 1:04 am local time, with its epicentre in western Shizuoka Prefecture at a depth of roughly 40 km (Outlook). The USGS recorded it at magnitude 5.5, slightly below the JMA's preliminary 5.7 (Outlook). The strongest shaking, upper 5 on Japan's seven-level seismic intensity scale, was in Chita city in neighbouring Aichi Prefecture, and no tsunami warning was issued, per Outlook. Tremors were felt across Aichi, Shizuoka, Nagano and Gifu and parts of Kyoto and Nara, Outlook says. The Avenue Mail and DNA India say Tokyo did not feel it.

Injuries and damage

Japanese television footage showed shattered shop windows, broken glass on streets and books thrown from shelves in a bookstore (Outlook). Some of the injured fell down stairs while leaving buildings (DNA India). The Sunday Guardian says reported casualty figures have varied across media updates and the final official count may change. Authorities were still assessing damage, per Outlook.

Transport and warnings

Shinkansen bullet trains ran at reduced speeds in affected areas as a precaution (DNA India). The JMA urged residents to stay alert for possible further strong earthquakes over the coming week, particularly in the next two to three days (Outlook). Smaller aftershocks were reported after the main quake (The Sunday Guardian).