Arab News Japan

TOKYO: A medium-sized earthquake hit Ehime Prefecture in the west of Japan at around 7:39 a.m. on Saturday. The quake had a seismic intensity of 4 on Japan’s 10-point scale, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. No tsunami alert was issued.

The epicenter was in Nanyo in Ehime Prefecture on the western island of Shikoku. 

The quake had a magnitude of 4.7 on the Richter scale and struck at a depth of 40 km.

The earthquake also hit parts of Hiroshima, Oita, Kochi and Yamaguchi prefectures with a seismic intensity of 3 and at a lesser level in other areas. 

Local media quoted a staff of Uwajima City Hall in Ehime Prefecture as saying that the shaking became stronger after an initial jolt and the shaking continued for about 30 seconds. There were no reports of injuries.

According to Shikoku Electric Power Company, no anomalies were noticed at the Ikata Nuclear Power Station in Ikata Town, Ehime Prefecture, where shaking with a seismic intensity of 3 was observed.