A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Japan at around 7:30 a.m. Thursday. The quake registered upper 6 on Japan’s seven-level seismic intensity scale in the town of Hashikami, Aomori Prefecture.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), an upper-6 tremor makes it “impossible to remain standing or move without crawling,” and people may be thrown into the air. The agency also says that most unsecured furniture moves and is likely to topple over.
No Tsunami Warning
The quake’s epicenter was located off the coast of Iwate Prefecture at a depth of 50 kilometers. Hachinohe, in Aomori Prefecture, recorded a lower-6 intensity on Japan’s seismic scale. No tsunami warning has been issued, easing concerns about potential coastal flooding.
The Prime Minister’s Office established a task force to gather information and coordinate the government’s response, while the Tohoku Shinkansen suspended operations as safety inspections were carried out.
