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| Japan earthquake latest: 6.2 magnitude quake hits west of country | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A powerful earthquake with a suspected magnitude of 6.6 has shaken western Japan, injuring seven people -– one seriously. | A powerful earthquake with a suspected magnitude of 6.6 has shaken western Japan, injuring seven people -– one seriously. |
| The Meteorological Agency said the earthquake occurred Friday at 2:10 p.m. (0510 GMT) in Japan's western prefecture of Tottori, about 700 kilometers (430 miles) west of Tokyo, at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) underground. | The Meteorological Agency said the earthquake occurred Friday at 2:10 p.m. (0510 GMT) in Japan's western prefecture of Tottori, about 700 kilometers (430 miles) west of Tokyo, at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) underground. |
| The epicentre of the quake was at a relatively shallow depth of 11km (7 miles) below the surface. Shallow quakes potentially cause more damage but most of Friday's damage appears to be minor or localised. | The epicentre of the quake was at a relatively shallow depth of 11km (7 miles) below the surface. Shallow quakes potentially cause more damage but most of Friday's damage appears to be minor or localised. |
| The agency said there was no danger of a tsunami from the inland temblor. | The agency said there was no danger of a tsunami from the inland temblor. |
| At least two houses collapsed, and television footage showed roof tiles knocked loose, wall fragments from a sake brewery fallen to the ground, and wine bottles and food items scattered on a store floor. Japan's public broadcaster NHK said a woman cooking in a restaurant was taken to a hospital after she was splashed with oil. | At least two houses collapsed, and television footage showed roof tiles knocked loose, wall fragments from a sake brewery fallen to the ground, and wine bottles and food items scattered on a store floor. Japan's public broadcaster NHK said a woman cooking in a restaurant was taken to a hospital after she was splashed with oil. |
| "It shook quite violently and file cabinets fell down, but luckily nobody was injured in this office," Koji Nakahara, a town hall official in coastal Hokuei, told NHK by telephone. | "It shook quite violently and file cabinets fell down, but luckily nobody was injured in this office," Koji Nakahara, a town hall official in coastal Hokuei, told NHK by telephone. |
| Suminori Sakinada, a local government official, told Agence France Presse: "We felt fairly strong jolts, which I think were the biggest in years, but we have not seen any damage or things falling". | Suminori Sakinada, a local government official, told Agence France Presse: "We felt fairly strong jolts, which I think were the biggest in years, but we have not seen any damage or things falling". |
| Bullet train services have been suspended in the area and nearly 40,000 homes were believed to be temporarily left without power as the quake knocked out power lines. | Bullet train services have been suspended in the area and nearly 40,000 homes were believed to be temporarily left without power as the quake knocked out power lines. |
| NHK said switched-off nuclear reactors in the region were not affected. | NHK said switched-off nuclear reactors in the region were not affected. |
| Japan sits on the edge of four tectonic plates so earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are fairly commonplace but strict building regulations mean strong tremors rarely do damage to modern buildings. | Japan sits on the edge of four tectonic plates so earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are fairly commonplace but strict building regulations mean strong tremors rarely do damage to modern buildings. |
| But the quake comes five and a half years since a 9.0 undersea earthquake cause a tsunami, a meltdown at the Fukushima power plant and resulted in the deaths of over 18,000 people. | But the quake comes five and a half years since a 9.0 undersea earthquake cause a tsunami, a meltdown at the Fukushima power plant and resulted in the deaths of over 18,000 people. |
| The then-Prime Minister Naoto Kan called the crisis the country "most difficult in the 65 years since the end of the Second World War". | The then-Prime Minister Naoto Kan called the crisis the country "most difficult in the 65 years since the end of the Second World War". |
| Similarly a 1995 earthquake which struck Kobe in the south of the country killed over 6,000 people and made a further 200,000 homeless as many older buildings were destroyed and a freeway toppled over. | Similarly a 1995 earthquake which struck Kobe in the south of the country killed over 6,000 people and made a further 200,000 homeless as many older buildings were destroyed and a freeway toppled over. |