Strong Earthquakes Hit Northeast Japan, Injuring over 500

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, July 27, 2003

Strong Earthquakes Hit Northeast Japan, Injuring over 500

A series of strong earthquakes hit northeastern Japan on Saturday, with the strongest marking an estimated magnitude of 6.2 and injuring over 500 people, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

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A series of strong earthquakes hit northeastern Japan on Saturday, with the strongest marking an estimated magnitude of 6.2 and injuring over 500 people, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

It was the first time in Japan that three earthquakes with an intensity of lower 6 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale have been recorded the same day, according to the agency.

The strongest of the quakes jolted several towns in Miyagi Prefecture at 7:13 a.m. (2213 GMT Friday) with an estimated magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter scale and an intensity of upper 6 on the Japanese scale of 7.

This was followed by an aftershock at around 4:56 p.m. (0756 GMT) that measured 5.3 on the Richter scale and lower 6 on the Japanese scale in the town of Kanan, northern Miyagi.

The series of quakes in the region began with a minor one at 12:13 a.m. the same day (1513 GMT Friday), measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale and a lower 6 on the Japanese scale in Miyagi.

A quake of upper 6 on the Japanese scale is strong enough to cause most unreinforced concrete walls to collapse. In one of lower 6 intensity, people will find it difficult to remain standing.

According to the Miyagi prefectural police, over 500 people were hurt in the quakes, of whom 27 were seriously injured. There have been no reports of dead or missing people.

The prefectural government said over 90 residences and public facilities were damaged.

The Disaster Relief Law is applicable to five of the towns hit by the quakes in the prefecture, it said.

According to local media reports, there had been about 200 aftershocks strong enough to be felt. The JMA has urged caution in light of continuing aftershocks as well as heavy-rain alerts in effect for the area.

The government has set up an office at the crisis management center at the Prime Minister's Office.

Yoshitada Konoike, state minister for disaster prevention, held a news conference in the afternoon and said he will lead a government inspection team to the affected areas on Sunday.

Responding to the prefecture's request for help in the worst-affected areas, about 300 Ground Self-Defense Force personnel were dispatched there to begin clearing collapsed homes and other facilities.

According to the Miyagi prefectural police, two people were rescued after being buried in a mudslide in Kanan town that affected three households.

Tohoku Electric Power Co. said about 100,000 households in the prefecture were without power, but electricity is gradually being restored.

Miyagi prefectural government officials said a four-car train on the Japan Railway Line in Kanan town derailed due to the second quake, but there were no reports of injuries among the 10 passengers onboard.

Japan Railway East said a total of 262 Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in the region were canceled, affecting some 120,000 passengers.

Traffic was also halted temporarily on highways such as the Tohoku Expressway.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Tohoku Electric Power said nothing unusual was observed at nuclear power plants or stations in the quake-hit area and its neighboring prefectures.

Tohoku Electric said it will delay the resumption of operations of a reactor plant there, scheduled for Saturday night, in light of the quakes. The reactor had been shut down due to abnormalities.

The JMA said the epicenter of the morning quake was about 12 kilometers underground in northern Miyagi. The focus of the midnight quake was also 12 km underground, while that of the afternoon one was about 10 km.

The agency said it was the first time since 1949 that a series of earthquakes of around magnitude 6 had occurred consecutively.

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