Powerful earthquake rocks central Japan – at least one person killed
- At a magnitude of 6.5, it was the largest among a series of quakes that have been hitting the Noto area since December 2020
- A 65-year-old man fell from a ladder in Suzu and was later confirmed dead, and more than 20 people have been injured
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 rocked Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan and its vicinity on Friday, leaving one person dead, while some buildings collapsed and traffic and events were disrupted during the nation’s Golden Week holidays.
The quake occurred at 2.42pm, registering an upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Suzu, at the tip of the Noto Peninsula in the Sea of Japan coast prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. It was the largest among a series of quakes that have been hitting the Noto area since December 2020.
No tsunami warning was issued, but a change of around 10 centimetres was detected in the sea levels in Ishikawa Prefecture, the agency said.
A 65-year-old man fell from a ladder in Suzu and was later confirmed dead, according to local authorities. The city said that over 20 people have been injured.
Aftershocks continued, with a 5.8 temblor jolting the Noto Peninsula area at about 10pm.