Japan's NHK reports that at least 50 people have been taken to hospitals following Tuesday's earthquake. The magnitude 6.8 quake struck earlier today; details on location and damage remain limited.
At least 50 people have been hospitalized following the earthquake that struck Japan earlier today, public broadcaster NHK reported as of 12:41 Jerusalem time. The hospitalization figures are the first reported casualty impact since the quake rattled the region this morning.
The earthquake was first detected at 10:38 Jerusalem time as a magnitude 7.1 event in Kumamoto Prefecture, prompting a tsunami warning for coastal areas (The Zioneer, 10:38 Jerusalem). The National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED) soon confirmed a shallow depth of 10 km and warned of potential significant damage to older buildings. Video footage of the shaking was also published. By 11:37 Jerusalem, the magnitude was revised to 6.8 (The Zioneer). The source quality has evolved from initial seismic alerts through official agency warnings to NHK's broadcast reporting confirmed hospitalizations.
This earthquake occurs amid a period of heightened seismic activity in Japan, including a magnitude 5.6 quake near Tokyo on June 26 and a magnitude 7.2 in northeastern Japan on June 25, as The Zioneer reported.
Remaining unclear: specific areas affected, the extent of structural damage, and the condition of the hospitalized individuals. The Japan Meteorological Agency continues to monitor for aftershocks.
10 developments
- StrongMagnitude 4.2 aftershock hits Kumamoto, Japan Meteorological Agency says
- DevelopingMagnitude 5.6 earthquake strikes central Japan near Tokyo
- DevelopingThis morning: Two earthquakes of magnitudes 5.2 and 5.7 strike western Iran's Kermanshah province; three lightly injured
- DevelopingMagnitude-8 earthquake in Philippines kills dozens, triggers tsunami warnings
Source and signal
- Open-source intake