5.2 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan, No Tsunami Warning Issued
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 occurred off northern Japan’s Honshu Island early Friday, the US Geological Survey said.
According to reports of the Japan Meteorological Agency, the temblor, whose size was later downgraded to 5.2-magnitude, struck parts of Ibaraki Prefecture, where it measured 4, as well as Fukushima, Saitama, and Tochigi where it measured 3.
The USGS said the quake at a depth of 20.8 miles was centered 30 miles southeast of Iwaki and 118 miles northeast of Tokyo.
No tsunami warning was issued, and there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
In March 2011, Japan was rocked by a massive 9.0-magnitude quake and an ensuing tsunami that left nearly 19,000 people dead or missing and crippled the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant, setting off Japan’s worst nuclear crisis and the world’s worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe.
To this day, efforts are still being made in Japan to clear the nearly 13 million tons of debris left in the wake of the twin disasters. Officials say while the debris — which is being hauled to other parts of the country, ground into mulch, and burned — has not triggered any elevated radioactive readings, but many citizens of the island nation are hesitant about potentially hazardous materials remaining in their towns and cities.
KSDK reports that tsunami debris is Japan’s biggest cleanup job since WWII, and officials say the cost may double to an estimated $125 billion.
More on Japan’s ongoing earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts in the video below:
