Arab News Japan

TOKYO: An earthquake exhibiting a maximum seismic intensity of 4 hit the Noto region of Ishikawa prefecture on the Sea of Japan, the Japanese Metrological Agency reported.

The epicenter of this quake, occurring at around 1:58 on March 8 (Tuesday), was at a depth of about 10km underground in the northeastern part of Noto, a peninsula that is often shaken by medium intensity earthquakes.

The agency said there was no need to be concerned about a tsunami caused by this earthquake. It also reported the magnitude of the earthquake as an estimated 4.8.

During the quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued an Earthquake Early Warning notification that initiates ringing of peoples’ mobile phones and provides a warning and information.

Nuclear power companies in the region, including the Kashiwasaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station in Kariwa-mura, Kashiwazaki-shi, Niigata Prefecture, where a seismic intensity of 2 was observed, were not affected by the earthquake.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, small-scale earthquake activity was confirmed around four years ago in the Noto region of Ishikawa prefecture around the epicenter of today’s quake, and this activity has increased since December.

This increase in activity is in addition to an increase occurring since last spring; however, the location of the epicenters has shifted gradually until in September last year, there was an earthquake in Suzu city exhibiting a seismic intensity of just under 5.

On the other hand, the Noto region has experienced considerable damage from earthquakes long before these recent events, with a magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurring 15 years ago.

That quake was named the “Noto Peninsula Earthquake” and resulted in the death of one person and damage to more than 30,000 buildings. Plus, before that, in 1993, there was a magnitude 6.6 earthquake reported off the northern coast of Noto Peninsula.