August 23, 2026: A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck southern Ibaraki Prefecture early Sunday morning, jolting the Tokyo metropolitan area and surrounding regions and injuring at least 37 people.
The quake occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time at a depth of about 68 kilometers. It registered a maximum intensity of lower 5 on Japan’s seven-point seismic scale in parts of Ibaraki, Saitama, and Chiba prefectures, as well as Tokyo’s Adachi Ward. Shaking was felt widely across the Kanto region and beyond.According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, the injuries were mostly minor and resulted from falls, broken glass, or being thrown from beds. One person suffered serious injuries in Kanagawa Prefecture.
Minor damage included a partial ceiling collapse at Ushiku City Hall in Ibaraki and reports of people briefly trapped in elevators in Tokyo. Some water mains ruptured and rail services experienced temporary suspensions for safety checks.The Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed there was no threat of a tsunami.
Authorities warned residents in areas of strong shaking to remain cautious of possible aftershocks up to intensity lower 5 over the coming week.No abnormalities were reported at nearby nuclear facilities. The event marked the strongest shaking felt in central Tokyo in several years, briefly disrupting the early morning calm across eastern Japan.
JANPATH NEWS NETWORK (JNN)
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