Japan earthquake jolts Tokyo area, over 30 injured, no tsunami threat

A moderate earthquake struck eastern Japan and shook the Tokyo area early on Sunday. The tremor injured dozens, delayed transport and prompted caution despite no tsunami or nuclear risk.Stock photo used for illustrationA moderate earthquake shook eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early on Sunday, injuring more than 30 people, most of them lightly, officials said. There was no tsunami threat.The government set up a task force to assess any possible damage, while transport services in and around Tokyo faced delays. Authorities also said there were no reports of abnormalities at nuclear power plants or other facilities handling nuclear materials.The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9, with its epicentre in southern Ibaraki prefecture at a depth of 70 kilometres. The US Geological Survey recorded the quake at magnitude 5.8. Emergency quake alerts were sent to mobile phones, and the tremor was strongly felt in Tokyo.According to prefectural officials and the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, at least 37 people were injured across five prefectures: 15 in Tokyo, nine in Saitama, eight in Kanagawa, four in Chiba and one in Ibaraki. Most were injured after falling or hitting furniture or doors when the quake struck as they slept and they got out of bed in a panic. The Yomiuri newspaper reported that a woman in her 80s suffered a serious hip injury after falling off her bed in Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture. A 23-year-old man told the Asahi newspaper that he felt a vertical jolt seconds after his earthquake alert sounded while he was shopping in Tokyo's Taito district. He said he feared being hit by goods falling from shelves as the building shook.The quake delayed express trains serving Tokyo and Narita Airport, as well as other local train services in northeastern Japan, though East Japan Railway Co. said Shinkansen bullet trains were operating normally. NHK footage showed traffic in nearby cities, including Mito and Saitama, appearing normal. In Tokyo's Koto ward, an underground water pipe ruptured and water spilled onto a road, but the pipe was later repaired and the leak stopped. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on X that the government had formed a task force to assess the situation. The weather agency urged people in the affected area to remain cautious for about a week in case of another moderate earthquake.The earthquake caused injuries, train delays and minor infrastructure damage across eastern Japan, but officials said there was no tsunami risk and no irregularities were reported at nuclear-related facilities. Last month, a magnitude 7.1 quake in the Kumamoto area on Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu killed 38 people and injured 364.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 23, 2026 17:06 IST