M5.9 earthquake strikes off eastern Hokkaido, no tsunami threat

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck off eastern Hokkaido in Japan, registering lower 5 on seismic scale with no tsunami threat.

TOKYO: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 struck off eastern Hokkaido in Japan’s north early Saturday, the weather agency said, adding that there is no threat of a tsunami from the temblor, Kyodo News Agency reported. 

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake originated southeast of the Nemuro Peninsula at a depth of about 40 kilometres at 1:40 am, registering a lower five on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in some parts of the northern island.

When the quake occurred, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency broadcast an emergency alert predicting a quake measuring up to an upper five on the Japanese scale. The government set up a liaison office at the prime minister’s office to handle the situation. – Bernama-Kyodo

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