Magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattles Tokyo and eastern Kanto region

At 2 a.m. on Sunday, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Tokyo and the eastern Kanto region, originating in southern Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of 70 kilometers. No tsunami threat was reported. The quake caused varying levels of shaking, with lower 5 intensity felt in Tokyo's Adachi Ward, and Ibaraki, Saitama, and Chiba prefectures.

Level 4 shaking was recorded in additional areas, including Tochigi, Gunma, and Kanagawa. The Meteorological Agency explained that lower 5 can result in objects falling off shelves and people grabbing onto them due to intense shaking. Shaking lasting up to a minute was felt shortly after earthquake early warning alarms sounded on mobile phones.

In Kawaguchi, Saitama, Urayasu, Chiba, and Tokyo's Koto and Edogawa wards, long-period ground motion measuring Level 2 was observed. This type of ground motion causes high-rise buildings to sway significantly, potentially making it difficult for people to stand and causing furniture or other objects to move or fall. Initial reports indicated two injuries in Kawasaki, with a water pipe rupturing in Tokyo's Koto Ward.

JR East was assessing potential damage and determining if trains could operate normally by 4:30 a.m. In Ibaraki Prefecture, near the Tokai and Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plants, shaking reached intensity 3 on the shindo scale, with no abnormalities reported at either facility. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced ongoing efforts to assess the earthquake's impacts and issued instructions to establish damage extent and provide accurate information to the public.

She urged those in strongly shaken areas to remain vigilant for another potential earthquake of similar magnitude.