Magnitude 5.7 earthquake strikes Shizuoka injuring at least 24 people

A 5.7-magnitude earthquake hit Shizuoka Prefecture early Sunday morning, leaving at least 24 people injured and disrupting transportation services across central Japan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that the earthquake struck at 1:04 a.m. local time on Sunday. While the quake caused significant tremors and property damage, no tsunami warning was issued. The Japan Times and other local outlets noted that tremors were felt as far west as Osaka.

At least 24 injuries have been confirmed across Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures by local media, including Tokai Television and the Chunichi Shimbun. In Aichi, emergency officials reported 16 people sustained minor injuries. Shizuoka officials stated that three women sought hospital care, including a woman in her 90s who injured her shoulder falling from her bed.

Physical damage included shattered windows at a car showroom in Toyohashi and items falling from shelves at a bookstore in Toyota city. In Osaka, local media reported a foreign national was hospitalized after falling from the second floor of an apartment building while panicking during the tremor. No deaths have been reported.

Transportation services faced significant disruptions on Sunday morning. The earthquake caused delays for both regional train lines and Shinkansen bullet train services. Additionally, a separate 4.3-magnitude earthquake was recorded in the Kumamoto area later Sunday, though it resulted in no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Background

Japan is located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area of frequent seismic activity. In 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami resulted in approximately 18,500 people dead or missing and caused severe damage to the Fukushima nuclear plant.