Earthquake shakes Tokyo; 17 people hurt
TOKYO – A powerful magnitude 5.9 earthquake shook the Tokyo area on Thursday night, injuring at least 17 people and halting trains and subways. Officials said there was no major damage or danger of a tsunami.
The Meteorological Agency said the quake was centered in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, at a depth of 48 miles.
It caused buildings to sway and hanging objects such as signs to swing violently. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said there were no abnormalities at nuclear power facilities in the area. He said 17 people were injured, including one seriously.
He did not describe the injuries of the others, but Chiba prefectural police said two women in separate locations sprained their ankles when they were thrown to the floor during the quake. NHK public television said a commuter train partially derailed when it made an emergency stop, causing three passengers to fall and get slightly injured.
Others were injured in Kanagawa prefecture, near Tokyo, according to media reports.