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Hokkaido Shaken: 6.2 Quake Rocks Japan's North
27 Apr
Summary
- A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck southern Hokkaido at 83 km depth.
- No tsunami alert was issued; minimal damage risk due to low population density.
- Increased landslide and aftershock risks were warned by the JMA.
A significant 6.2-magnitude earthquake jolted Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, early Monday morning. The tremor occurred at a depth of 83 kilometers in the southern part of the island. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported the earthquake.
Authorities confirmed that no tsunami alert was issued following the quake. The United States Geological Survey indicated that the threat to life and property was minimal, largely owing to the sparse population in the affected area, which is located approximately 200 kilometers east of Sapporo.
Despite the low immediate damage risk, the JMA cautioned about heightened dangers of rockfalls and landslides in areas that experienced strong shaking. Furthermore, the agency warned that there is a high probability of experiencing additional earthquakes of comparable strength within the next week.
This event follows a series of seismic activities in Japan, including a magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the sea south of Hokkaido hours earlier. The recent tremors come less than a week after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake off Iwate prefecture, which prompted a JMA warning about an increased risk of a megaquake.
