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Tokyo earthquake: 6.1 magnitude tremors cause massive outage and train halts

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake brought the strongest trembling to Tokyo's central wards since the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011

An earthquake reportedly of 6.1 magnitude rattled the Japanese capital Tokyo and surrounding areas at about 10:40 pm local time, Thursday, October 7. Traffic came to a standstill and buildings swayed as violent tremors were felt throughout the city. Residents were told to 'take action to protect your lives' from the quake which was centred in Chiba prefecture, just east of Tokyo, at a depth of 48 miles. The strength of the quake could reportedly cause considerable damage to buildings and power cuts.

Officials have quoted no tsunami danger from the earthquake. Japan's public broadcaster NHK informed that the earthquake registered a tremor of '5 plus' on Japan's own 'shindo' scale of quake intensity. It brought the strongest trembling to Tokyo's central wards since the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster in 2011. The Japanese government set up a task force to coordinate local authorities' and emergency services' response to any damage and injuries. Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida told NHK that the task force will "find out about the latest situation and provide information to the public in a speedy manner." People posted videos on Twitter capturing the tremors.

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Damage/injuries

Several bullet train lines were halted and the Otsubo Bridge in Ichihara City in Chiba was closed after the tremors caused a water pipe to rupture, NHK reported. Fire department officials in Chiba Prefecture noted two injuries, including a teenage girl in the city of Tomisato and a woman in her 70s in the city of Mobara, according to NHK. One woman in her 50s in Kanagawa Prefecture suffered injuries when she fell and hit her head, reports cited. The Tokyo Electric Power Corporation reported 250 cases of blackouts throughout the city following the quake. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno informed that there were no reported abnormalities at any of the nation's nuclear power facilities, adding that the government was still confirming any damage. 

Japan is situated on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. Last week, a 6.1-magnitude quake had hit Japan's northwestern coast, also causing little or no damage.