Arab News Japan

TOKYO: An unusual swarm of earthquakes struck off the eastern coast of Japan on Thursday, increasing in intensity throughout the day.

The 10th earthquake of the day registered 4.9 on the Richter Scale with a seismic intensity of 4, a moderately strong earthquake.

All 10 earthquakes had their epicenter just off the coast of Chiba Prefecture, the province that lies to the east of Tokyo.

While the epicenters were about 75 kilometers from downtown Tokyo, the quakes shook the entire region around Tokyo and were felt in buildings in the capital.

There was no danger of a tsunami from the earthquakes.

Swarms of earthquakes can occur in quake-prone regions and can be precursors to major earthquakes, while some are just tectonic plates readjusting or moving slightly.