TOKYO: A powerful earthquake, striking the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, has once again rattled the same area that was hit by a deadly earthquake on New Year’s Day.

Monday’s quake registered 5.9 on the Richter Scale but was at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers. As a result, the seismic intensity was five plus on Japan’s scale (6 on a 10-point scale). An aftershock registering 4.8 on the Richter Scale was felt 10 minutes after the first quake.

A tsunami alert was issued promptly. However, the waves were not expected to exceed 20 centimeters, and there was little likelihood of damage, providing a sense of security to the residents.

The epicenter was right at the tip of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, on the northern side of the main Japanese island of Honshu facing the Sea of Japan.

The New Year’s Day earthquake in the same area registered 7.6 on the Richter Scale and had the maximum seismic intensity of 7 on Japan’s scale (10 on a scale of 10). The quake caused extensive damage, and 260 people were killed. However, the local community showed remarkable resilience and the recovery efforts were swift, with many lessons learned to better prepare for future earthquakes.